Hyperbaric Chamber Haulbowline Ambulance SOP

Procedure

Haulbowline REcompression Chamber - Notes for SOP’s (HSE patients)

  • Naval Service have a 1 hour window in which to have the ReCompression Chamber (RCC) ready
  • All casualties will be referred to RCC by Medico and will be transported by HSE ambulance or IRCG helo.
  • HSE Doctor or Nurse will accompany casualty.
  • Casualties will not be accepted other then by referral by MEDICO
  • Expected duration of RCC use per casualty is 4 hours
  • Two immediate relatives - friends are to be permitted to be in the Base during the recompression. They are NOT allowed into the RCC room during the process.
  • At all times NS personnel are acting in support of and behalf of HSE.
  • NS personnel are fully indemnified by HSE
  • POC to be identified and contact details notified
  • NS initial POC will be Ops Officer /SDO. He will, on receiving request from HSE, notify the following;
    • OIC Diving Section
    • FOCNS
    • OCNOC
    • OCSO
    • BDO
    • MONS
    • Press Officer

Actions to be taken

  • OIC Diving Section. He will recall the necessary number of divers to activate and run the RCC. He will prep. for RCC use over 4 hrs. He will maintain line of communication with MEDICO and keep SDO informed of events.
  • OPS /SDO Inform BDO of requirement for RCC and whether to prepare for land or air delivery of casualty. Inform and update Command ,MONS & Press Officer
  • BDO prep for land or air delivery of casualty as necessary. Provide support as necessary to OIC Diving Section. Prep for reception of relatives of casualty. Prep to provide light refreshments to pers involved in RCC operation and relatives of casualty.
  • Press Officer On being briefed by Ops / SDO he will maintain line of communication with MEDICO re agreed press release.
  • Print version chamber SOP (Notes)

1 On receiving a call:Print version chamber SOP (Notes)

  1. Log the call as an AS1 and flag it for the Control & Communications Officer as per CAD. If control receives the initial call, take details as above and transfer the call to MEDICO Cork.
    (please note that the number for MEDICO Cork 021-4546453 is NOT to be given out to anybody regardless of who they may be).
  2. Medico will ring back ambulance control via 112/999 service to advise on activation of Coast Guard. If not contacted by Medico Control will ring back Medico.
  3. To contact Coast Guard ring:
    Valentia – 066-9476-109 (Incidents between Kerry & Galway).
    Dublin - 01-6620-922 (Incidents between Cork & Louth).
    Malin Head – 074-9370-103 (Incidents between Mayo & Donegal).
  4. Coast Guard will liaise with Ambulance Control to arrange time and rendezvous for ambulance pick up.
  5. Advise Naval Base (Senior Duty Officer) to put the Hyperbaric Chamber on standby as early as possible (one hour minimum notice is required).
    Contact Telephone Numbers, ring in the order below and only use the follow on numbers if no reply from the initial number.
    1st –021-4864-707, Naval Operations.
    2nd –021-4864-812, Naval Operations.
    3rd –021-4867-111, Senior Duty Officer.
    4th –087-2053-570, Senior Duty Officer.
  6. Keep Medico and Cork University Hospital Emergency Department updated.
  7. If transfer is required to and from the Naval Base log the call as an AS3 call (outpatient) filling in all the fields on the call sheet and flag the call for the Control & Communications Officer as per CAD.
  8. All actions, contact names and contact times for the duration of the call to be entered in notepad of call.

Requirements of the ambulance service

4. Requirements of the ambulance service

  1. Ambulance at rendezvous point (advised by Coast Guard) to transport patient to Cork University Hospital Emergency
    Department. A medical team maybe required to travel with the ambulance crew (MEDICO to advise).
  2. Ambulance to transport patient from Emergency Department to Naval base for treatment (AS3 outpatient).
  3. Ambulance to transport patient from Naval Base to Emergency Department Cork University Hospital.
  4. If a Medical Officer is required to travel to Naval Base other than with the patient (during office hours Monday to Friday) then an Ambulance Officer or L/E.M.T. (office duties) will transport in Ambulance Service Jeep or R.R.V. If no ambulance transport is available, Refer to paragraph 4.5 below.
  5. If a Medical Officer is required to travel to Naval Base other than with the patient(out of office hours Monday to Friday, Weekends and Bank Holidays)then Ambulance Control will make arrangements with C.U.H. Security Department to transport in Security Jeep (only to be driven under normal driving regulations, no lights and sirens).
  6. In the event of a patient been seen in an Emergency Department of another hospital, then Medico would direct the helicopter to the Naval Base. The Coast Guard will then contact Ambulance Control and advise of ETA and landing site. An ambulance will be sent to the landing site to transport the patient to the Hyperbaric Chamber.
  7. Ambulance Control will advise Naval Base of the above.
  8. Ambulance Control will activate and stand down Naval Base Hyperbaric Chamber.
  9. In the event of a patient having to be transferred abroad for recompression Ambulance Control will make all arrangements as per SLA. Please refer to Air Ambulance Operations Manual. Flag the call for the Control
    & Communications Officer as per CAD.

Medical emergency at the naval base

5 Medical emergency at the naval base

  1. In the event of a medical emergency at the Hyperbaric Chamber Ambulance Control will be receive a call via the 112/999 service.
  2. Activate ambulance as per AS1. Flag the call for the Control & Communications Officer as per CAD. Print version chamber SOP (Notes)