Cellular communication.

Abstract

Generally, cellular-telephone communications seem to be a valuable means for the public to communicate that an accident has occurred on highways in metropolitan areas. Response time is reduced and congestion quickly relieved. This system could be improved by making a provision in emergency call boxes for the separation of vehicle problems from true emergency calls to ensure the proper response priority. Cellular-telephone communications are a valuable adjunct to EMS radio communications for biotelemetry, when channels are overcrowded or communications are needed in a "dead" area. A system of dedicated hospital-emergency-department lines and telephone numbers is needed. Cellular telephones shouldn't be used as a primary means of providing medical control. Advance planning should be undertaken to ensure immediate access to hospital emergency departments if cellular is used for secondary purposes. The amount of communication traffic at and surrounding a multi-casualty incident or disaster may overwhelm a local cell. Priority numbers providing immediate access and bumping of non-emergency calls for emergency responders are needed. All means of communication should be coordinated by an EMS communications MCI or disaster plan.