HCA Virginia Behavioral Health will host live support groups for EMS and frontline providers viaHCA Virginia Behavioral Health will host live support groups for EMS and frontline providers viaWebEx. These support groups will have a topic and then allow time for confidential discussion. Ourpurpose is to listen, support, validate and offer additional coping skills.
For the schedule and instructions to participate, please pdf CLICK HERE (9.36 MB) .
First responders are repeatedly exposed to other people's traumatic experiences. This can leave first responders with memories, images, sounds, and smells that linger long after the event is over. This is called Vicarious Trauma. Blue Ridge Behavioral Health, a CSB based in Roanoke, is now offering telehealth appointments to assist. pdf Please see this FLYER for more information. (1009 KB)
Please read and become familiar with this resource document. Remember that approval to transport to alternate destinations is a decision to be made by YOUR OMD. The WVEMS Medical Direction Committee is considering this matter. Watch for further information! pdf WHITE PAPER - TRANSPORT TO ALTERNATE SITES (201 KB)
Are you facing the need to decontaminate and re-use N95 masks? If so, your EMS agency is probably eligible to use a decon service offered at no charge by the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. The Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System will be located in Blacksburg on the campus of Virginia Tech. It is FDA approved to use vapor phase hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate non-cellulose based N95 masks up to 20 times. It will operate 24/7 for approximately 90 days and can decontaminate up to 80,000 masks per day.
Please pdf CLICK HERE (458 KB) for details and additional information.
WVEMS COVID-19 Protocols and Guidance Updated
The WVEMS Council’s Regional Medical Direction committee has continually updated the COVID-19 Protocol. A simplified version was recently posted. The protocol includes a link to a reference document which will be updated continually. In the protocol, there is a QR code and a clickable link to the reference document. Please use the link to access this information rather than printing it, as it will be updated frequently.
The linked document is a live document that will change fluidly, so reference the link or QR code often. WVEMS Council will make every attempt to send out push notifications of revisions to this live document. However, please understand that our Regional Medical Direction Committee physicians are updating this document directly, so notice of revisions may not reach Council staff immediately. Please check the link often!
Also, please see the attached document that outlines our UPDATED decontamination policy for drug boxes (sample attached). When you exchange a drug box at a hospital or FSED, you must complete a Drug Box Decontamination Procedure Form. As we learn more about COVID-19, this document will be revised again. In the event that the details of this document change, we will communicate the changes with you and make sure that you have the most up-to-date information.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office or if you have specific protocol concerns or questions, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
LINK TO WVEMS EMERGENCY COVID-19 PROTOCOL (wvems.org/COVID-19)
pdf LINK TO DRUG BOX DECONTAMINATION DIRECTIVE (30 KB)
LINK TO GUIDANCE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRE SERVICE AGENCIES
