The Role of EMS During Severe Weather Alerts

EMS professionals are the first responders to any emergency situation, even during severe weather conditions. Events like tornados, flooding, or severe storms tend to strike the Midwest for around half the year, meaning there is always a chance that you will be in a situation that requires EMS assistance. It’s important to understand what severe weather assistance EMS provides so you can get a better idea of when help will arrive and what it will look like. 

Missouri Severe Weather Preparation

Missouri is covered with interwoven securities to prepare and protect the populace in case of severe weather. There are different National Weather Service offices that triangulate weather conditions and alert the general public and professionals to coming storms. The major Missouri offices are located in Pleasant Hills, Springfield, and St. Louis, but the state is covered by offices from other states, such as the offices in Omaha and Quad Cities. 

Regional response plays a large role in preparing for storms as well, with different teams gearing up when a weather alert occurs to ensure that as many portions of Missouri are covered during an emergency as possible. Mutual Aid Coordinators in each region will sometimes prepare a strike team when weather threat conditions reach a level 4 or higher. These strike teams ensure that areas heavily affected by the weather have rapid response as soon as possible. 

In the event of heavy rain and the need for swift water rescue, the Missouri State Highway Patrol or Conservation Department will step in to assist local offices in providing assistance. On rare occasions, there may even be a Telecommunications Emergency Response Team (TERT) set up to aid with emergency communications in the affected areas. 

It’s important that every agency knows who their Regional Mutual Aid Coordinator is since they change periodically. Teams also need regular practice or tabletop exercise at minimum, to go over their strategies in the event of:

• A power outage lasting more than three days

• Severe cold weather

• A lack of fresh water for more than 24 hours

• Tornado debris leaving roadways inaccessible to 911 response

Our teams are constantly training to prepare for any severe weather conditions that may appear in the future. This preparation ensures that nobody is left behind. 

How EMS Professionals Prepare During a Severe Weather Warning

Preparation is crucial to the success of anything, but especially for EMS teams. First responders are rigorously trained to tackle any scenario, with plans around any possible contingencies always adjusting. There are a few ways that EMS professionals prepare for severe weather:

Strategic Planning

Effective disaster response starts with planning and coordination with other agencies like local fire departments, law enforcement, and public health organizations. Proper coordination ensures the closest responder to the situation can arrive the fastest with further help not far behind. 

EMS agencies create and revise emergency response plans regularly, ensuring that roles, responsibilities, and procedures for responding to different severe weather threats are all accounted for and updated. EMS providers are also working closely with nearby agencies to ensure rapid support and resource management during natural disasters. If a tornado strikes a nearby town, you’ll often see units from different districts arriving to assist because of this coordination. 

Comprehensive Training

EMS providers undergo specialized courses around disaster preparation, such as mass casualties, limited resources, and hazardous conditions. Additionally, EMS professionals have ongoing training around trauma response, advanced life support, and emergency care, with special emphasis on how to handle these situations during severe weather and natural disasters. They will regularly run simulations and disaster drills to practice and prepare for the inevitable. This improves their coordination and readiness so they know what to expect and how to act during a disaster situation. 

EMS Response During Severe Weather and Natural Disasters

When severe weather strikes, EMS professionals need to act quickly and efficiently to provide care and support to affected communities and individuals. They do so through: 

Rapid Assessment and Triage

The first step during EMS response is to provide a quick assessment of the situation and prioritize patients based on the severity of their conditions. They will establish a triage protocol beforehand to categorize patients and ensure that those who need immediate care receive it first. Once they arrive on scene, the team conducts on-site assessments to determine the extent of the injuries and which patients are in critical condition. Once the assessment is over, they will use resources at their disposal to ensure medical supplies and personnel are utilized as efficiently as possible. 

Immediate Medical Care

EMS professionals will provide CPR, wound care, fracture stabilization, and medication as required to those on-site that need it. They will continue to monitor patients’ vitals and provide ongoing support to keep them stable enough for transport if needed. If the damage from the severe weather is bad enough or widespread, they may create field treatment sites to act as essentially a field hospital so actual hospitals aren’t overwhelmed. 

Transportation and Coordination

Once critical patients have been stabilized, they will be transported to the nearest available hospital by whatever method is fastest. This could be by ambulance, helicopter, or even boat depending on the location. The EMS team consistently communicates with hospitals and medical centers to provide patient information ahead of time and ensure seamless transfer of care on arrival. 

They also work closely with other teams during the emergency to provide effectively-spread relief across the affected area. A unified command system is established to help coordinate between different agencies and teams to ensure teams aren’t doubling up or slowing each other down. Teams will also collaborate with fellow responders to manage evacuation, medical support, and public safety. 

Rapid Response During Severe Weather Conditions

Missouri Ambulance Association provides help even during the most dangerous weather conditions. Our coordinated efforts ensure that as many people are assisted as possible so nobody is left out in the rain. When rough weather occurs, as it usually does a few times at this time of year, you can rely on our team of professionals to help in any situation. If you or someone you know needs assistance, don’t hesitate to call.