Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Program

Basic CBD Training, Continuing Education, Instructor Development Course - Criteria Based Dispatch (CBD)

Participants at the June 2005 training at Valley Communications.
Participants at the June 2005 training at
Valley Communications.
All EMS systems must be looked at as a continual "Chain of Survival" of which the telecommunicator is a vital link. As a primary point of contact with the public, the dispatcher provides a channel for communications between the caller reporting the emergency and the Emergency Medical Response Units.

In 1989, King County EMS developed the Criteria Based Dispatch Guidelines, which were implemented in 1990. CBD Guidelines are based on:

  • the level of care required for a patient;
  • the urgency for the care to be given; and,
  • the specified medical criteria for determining the appropriate response.

Not only does CBD provide guidelines to identify dispatch crteria for the appropriate response, but they also provide Pre-Arrival Instructions, of which the most important are those of CPR.

Training 2009 to be scheduled. Contact Cleo Subido if you have questions about future trainings at Cleo.Subido@kingcounty.gov.

***Only employees of public safety 911 centers that receive and process medical calls for service and hold a current licensing agreement with Public Health - Seattle & King County Emergency Medical Services are able to participate in trainings. If you want information on gaining employment with a 911 agency please contact one of those agencies. Seattle & King County Emergency Medical Services operates a regional medical services/triage program but does not operate a 911 center.

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