Daytona Beach, FL – Residents in Holliston, Ma., now have the added strength of APCO Institute Emergency Medical Dispatch behind their 911 call center because the Holliston Fire Department recently implemented the program.

The APCO Institute EMD Program, based on EMD guide cards and software, is a systematic way to manage emergency medical service (EMS) resources in an organized and effective manner and to provide medical assistance to callers, when needed, until medically trained field response units arrive at the scene.

“The EMD implementation was very smooth and our dispatchers were trained and certified online through the APCO Institute.  The asynchronous training allowed our personnel to be trained while on duty, without the need to send them offsite for several days,” said Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Michael R. Cassidy.

Employees of the Holliston Fire Department service approximately a population of 15,400 with 42 on-call EMS personnel and 49 on-call fire personnel that receive a call volume of approximately 1,244 calls per year.

“The APCO Institute welcomes the Holliston Fire Department as an EMD User Agency and looks forward to working with their staff to provide EMD services to their area,” APCO Institute Director Julie Troutman said.

About APCO International
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to the enhancement of public safety communications.  APCO International serves the professional needs of its 15,000 members worldwide by creating a platform for setting professional standards, addressing professional issues and providing education, products and services for people who manage, operate, maintain and supply the communications systems used by police, fire and emergency medical dispatch agencies throughout the world.  For more information, visit www.apcointl.org.

EMD Holliston