Florida EMSC Advisory Committee Presentations and materials are now available on the PEDReady website! Visit emlrc.org/flpedready for the latest materials. The goal of Florida PEDReady is to enhance pediatric emergency care and “readiness” in Florida’s emergency departments and EMS agencies. Email us at pedready@jax.ufl.edu to be added to the FL PEDReady listserve.

Pediatric Disaster Preparedness: JumpSTART

The JumpSTART (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) pediatric MCI triage tool was created in 1995 by Dr. Lou Romig, a Florida pediatric emergency and disaster physician. A modification of JumpSTART was published in 2001. JumpSTART is the most used pediatric mass casualty triage algorithm in the U.S. Florida EMSC is excited to announce that the FL PEDReady website will become the hosting site for JumpSTART in collaboration with Dr. Romig! New JumpSTART badge buddies have been designed in collaboration with Dr. Romig, Chief Julie Downey (DOH EMS Disaster Response Committee), Dr. Phyllis Hendry and members of the FL EMSC Advisory Committee. The PEDReady website disaster section will be updated soon with new pediatric disaster resources. Email us at PEDReady@jax.ufl.edu to request badge buddies.

JumpSTART Badge Buddies

Consider joining the National Pediatric Disaster Coalition listserv by emailing nationalpedicoalition@gmail.com. Child Life Disaster Relief has created a new resource on child development and disasters for parents, guardians, organizations, and communities. Illinois EMSC also has online Pediatric Disaster Courses.

National EMSC Resources to Make Your ED or EMS Agency PEDReady

• EIIC Prehospital Pediatric Readiness Toolkit and Checklist
• EIIC Pediatric Readiness for EDs: Interactive Checklist
• EIIC Pediatric Readiness for EDs: Regular Checklist

Pediatric EMS Asthma Research Study

The “Early Administration of Steroids in the Ambulance Setting: An Observational Design Trial,” or “EASI AS ODT” study, is a pragmatic trial using a stepped wedge design, where each site introduces the intervention at a different period in time, rather than all at once. Using this approach, the study is looking at pediatric patient outcomes before and after EMS agencies introduce an oral steroid option for the treatment of asthma attacks. The study is led by Principal Investigator Jennifer Fishe, MD, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and pediatric EMS medical director from the University of Florida College of Medicine-Jacksonville, and is funded by a five-year National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute K23 award. Dr. Fishe is a member of the FL EMSC Advisory Committee. The study comprises of seven sites, including five EMS agencies in Florida, Texas Children’s Hospital, and the Houston Fire Department from PECARN’s CHaMP node.

Farewell to Melia Jenkins

Melia Jenkins is retiring soon after working as a Florida DOH Social Services Manager and EMSC Project Director since 1997! Thank you Melia for your dedicated service to the children of Florida — you made a difference! ■