A complete crowd management plan will include procedures to respond to medical emergencies. The ability to respond quickly and effectively to an emergency or a request for medical help may save a life or lessen the severity of an injury.

The general public is often unaware of the quality of emergency medical and ambulance service that some facilities provide, yet emergency medical service is one of the most critical services a facility or promoter of an event can offer its patrons. The amount and scope of that service is often left to the discretion of facilities and promoters and therefore can result in inconsistent levels of service. The lack of regulation of ambulance service has in a similar way created confusion over the standards of service that are to be expected.

All of these areas need special attention by local and state officials.

2. Emergency Medical Service

Emergency medical service is the advance preparation for the treatment of unexpected life threatening situations. These preparations may include the treatment of heart attacks, strokes, drug overdose, seizures, etc.

Presently there are no official requirements or standards for first aid rooms at places of public assembly. City Council should require places of public assembly to maintain first aid rooms and should set minimum standards for first aid rooms and on-duty medical personnel.

According to a paper presented to the Task Force, determining the emergency medical requirements necessary for facilities regardless of size should be based on:

Type of facility
Type of event(s)
Type of crowd and size
Location and size of on-site first aid room (and/or medical support facility)
Proximity of hospitals and medical support services
Communication linkage with local hospital(s), public law enforcement agency, interior and exterior security at major events
Qualifications of personnel in charge at site
On-site equipment at first aid or medical facility

1. Establishment of direct radio and/or telephone communications for first aid rooms with local hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and interior and exterior security.
2. Installation of telephones for patron use that will enable direct contact with medical staff in first aid room.
3. Publicizing the location of first aid rooms so they are well known to patrons of major events.
4. Assurance that when ambulances are on standby at a major event their personnel are qualified to perform emergency medical care, especially it those skills are not available at the first aid room.
5. Training of all interior security personnel in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and in transportation of disabled patrons from their seats, should be instituted. (The Red Cross or the Heart Association might be willing to coordinate a CPR training course.)

3. Emergency Ambulance Service

An ordinance requiring standards for licensing private emergency medical service vehicles and personnel in Akron, Ohio has created a consistent level of professional service that has application in Cincinnati. To assure the public adequate service in this area, City Council should seriously consider developing similar regulations in Cincinnati.

1. A medical emergency service section should be included in a crowd management plan.

2. City Council should require places of public assembly to maintain first aid rooms and should set minimum standards for first aid rooms and on-duty medical personnel.

3. City Council should adopt an ordinance that sets standards for ambulance personnel and equipment.

4. Direct radio and/or telephone communications should be established between first aid rooms and local hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and interior and exterior security.

5. Facilities should install telephone for patron use that will enable direct contact with medical staff in an emergency situation.

6. The location of first aid rooms should be publicized so they are known to patrons.

7. When ambulances are on standby at a major event, their personnel should be qualified to perform emergency medical care.

8. Training should be provided for all interior security personnel in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and in transportation of disabled patrons.