3 Resource Assessment and Activation

Assess needs and activate help early

During the initial scene assessment, perform a resource assessment: decide whether the responding team can safely and effectively manage the incident with the personnel and equipment available. Consider both what is needed now and whether the incident may require capabilities beyond those of the arriving crew.

Request additional help early when the scene or patient needs suggest it may be necessary. This early activation gives resources time to arrive while care and scene management continue. Balance the value of waiting for help against the need for rapid transport.

Match resources to patients and hazards

Consider the full situation before deciding what resources to request:

• Patients: Determine how many people are injured or ill, and whether additional patients may not yet have been located. An incident involving multiple patients may require more ambulances, triage support, or incident coordination.

• Patient needs: Consider whether a patient appears critically ill or injured, or is likely to need care beyond the arriving crew’s capabilities. Advanced clinical support or rapid transport may be needed.

• Mechanism and environment: Entrapment, difficult access, fire, water, hazardous materials, violence, or unsafe traffic may require fire-rescue, law enforcement, hazardous-materials personnel, or a specialized rescue team. Do not enter an unsafe area; request an appropriately trained response.

• People and equipment: Consider whether additional clinicians, ambulances, lifting or extrication equipment, protective equipment, or other specialized capabilities are needed.

• Scene coordination: A complex, expanding, or multi-agency incident may need a supervisor or incident commander and a clearly identified staging area.

Request resources according to local protocols and the incident command structure. When scene hazards cannot be safely managed by the responding crew, request specialized resources.

Communicate and coordinate requests

Use dispatch or the designated command channel to make a clear, specific request. Include the location, the type and number of resources needed, the reason for the request, relevant hazards, and the safest access or staging information.

For example: “Request fire-rescue for one patient trapped in a vehicle at the northbound intersection; traffic is blocked, and stage on the west side.” Confirm that the request was received, provide updates if the situation changes, and tell command when a resource is no longer needed.

In larger incidents, use the established incident-management process so requests are coordinated and resources can be tracked from request through deployment and release. Identify resources clearly and coordinate and track them throughout that process.

Continue care and reassess

A request for help does not replace reassessment. Continue care within your training and protocols, maintain scene safety, and update dispatch or command about changing hazards, patient condition, or patient count.

Do not delay urgent transport solely to wait for additional resources when transport is appropriate. Follow local protocols and weigh the benefit of added help against the patient’s need for definitive care.

For example, a crew at a collision finds one patient with severe injuries pinned in a vehicle. The crew requests fire-rescue for extrication and additional EMS support, reports traffic hazards, identifies a safe staging location, and continues appropriate care while awaiting help.