Can J Emerg Med
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To examine the 1999 CAEP/AMUQ research abstracts competition in a scientific fashion, and provide descriptive information about the present and future direction of Canadian emergency medicine (EM) research. ⋯ Canadian EM research is growing rapidly, as witnessed by the interest in this competition, the publication of these abstracts, and the increased emphasis placed on research at the national meeting. Researchers must adhere to submission guidelines to increase their chances of abstract acceptance. Methods of promoting Canadian EM research are discussed.
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Almost all North American cities have first responder programs. To date there is no published documentation of the roles first responders play, nor of the frequency and type of interventions they perform. Many urban stakeholders question the utility and safety of routinely dispatching large vehicles emergently to calls that may not require their services. Real world data on first responder interventions will help emergency medical services (EMS) directors and planners determine manpower requirements, assess training needs, and optimize dispatch protocols to reduce the rate of inappropriate "code 3" (lights and siren) responses. ⋯ First responders perform critical interventions during a minority of code 3 calls, even when "critical" is defined generously. Many "lights and siren" dispatches are unnecessary. Future research should attempt to identify dispatch criteria that more accurately predict the need for first responder intervention. First responder training and continuous quality improvement (CQI) should focus on interventions that are performed with some regularity, particularly oxygen administration.