Peter D’Souza, MD is part of a team of EMS faculty at Stanford Department of Emergency Medicine who regularly train fire departments in surrounding counties.

Training Local Partners

The Stanford Department of Emergency Medicine’s Emergency Medical (EMS) section is closely integrated with surrounding communities stretching from San Francisco to Gilroy. Partnerships span all aspects of pre-hospital care and training for fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and even the National Park Service.

Stanford emergency medicine physicians serve as medical directors for 10 local fire agencies, providing crucial hands-on training on the latest protocols for health emergencies, and advanced EMS. During the COVID-19 pandemic, much of this training focused on airways, including improving intubation success rates using video laryngoscopy.

Physicians also provide support to local law enforcement in managing COVID risk and, in cooperation with Stanford Health Care, offered a first responder testing program at no cost to financially strained local governments. And EMS faculty train national park service paramedics on-site in Yosemite four times a year on advanced airway management, ECG interpretation, and trauma management.

COVID-19 Testing for Fire Departments

Stanford EMS physicians enlisted colleague Jennifer Newberry, MD to serve as principal investigator on a six-week assessment of the impact of COVID on fire departments throughout Santa Clara County. In partnership with the California Firefighters Association, Stanford acquired nasal pharyngeal swabs and blood draws from firefighters at 40 sites, enrolling nearly 1,000 participants. 

EMS Guidance and Support 

EMS faculty develop protocols, procedures, and scope of practices for pre-hospital care for the state, and advocate on policies and legislation. And as the EMS base station for San Mateo County, Stanford emergency department serves as a resource for local EMS providers. Providers in the field call into the emergency department and speak with a physician who answers questions about care or protocols on incoming patients. 

Life Flight

Stanford Life Flight is the oldest flight program in California and the state’s only academic hospital-based flight program. Alfredo Urdaneta, MD, clinical assistant professor serves as medical director for Stanford Life Flight, providing support on ride-alongs and training Life Flight nurses. Urdaneta also reviews all treatment protocols and offers remote medical oversight via telecommunication day or night.