The Specialty Training at Rural Sites-Pediatric Prehospital Care (STARS-PPC) grant program helps prepare rural emergency medical service (EMS) providers to deliver advanced, high-quality care deliver high-quality care to children in emergencies. The program gives EMS teams cutting-edge pediatric training and the skills they need to stabilize children, manage critical injuries and safely transport them to medical facilities. By focusing on the unique needs of children, STARS-PPC strengthens the ability of rural EMS providers to save young lives and improve outcomes for pediatric patients in their communities.
“EMS systems in rural communities are under severe stress, as they have to transport patients long distances while delivering increasingly complex care. This challenge is accentuated among pediatric patients. Through the Orion Initiative’s support of this project, hundreds of children – and more once the pilot is expanded- will have access to EMS care equipped to serve their specific needs in a way that is not available today.”
STARS-PPC Rural Partners
Southern Green Lake County Ambulance and Berlin EMS providers identified a vital need for advanced pediatric training. The STARS-PPC grant program helped prepare these providers to deliver state-of-the-art care to vulnerable pediatric patients with complex health care needs.
“In rural EMS, adult patients are the majority of our calls. We need a way to strengthen our skills treating our younger patients. The STARS grant will help us get the training we need.”
“The STARS grant is vital for our small ambulance service, ensuring our teams have the expertise to provide the specialized care that young patients deserve.”
Menominee Tribal Rescue Service is based in Keshena, Wisconsin, and provides 24-hour emergency ambulance service for the Menominee Indian Reservation and surrounding areas of Menominee County. Serving a rural region with limited access to pediatric specialty care, the closest pediatric hospitals are approximately 120 minutes away by ground transport. In addition to emergency response and transport, the service supports child safety through first aid and ambulance standby coverage at school sporting events, Pow-Wow gatherings and other community events.
“We serve the Menominee Indian Reservation and surrounding areas, a region with unique challenges when it comes to providing emergency care for children in a rural setting. This Orion Initiative training will deepen our team’s skills and preparedness, and help us deliver timely, high-quality care to children and families across our community.”
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