Pediatric Emergency Response Training Partnership Between Children's Hospital and Fire Department

A significant new initiative has been launched to enhance emergency medical services (EMS) for children in Philadelphia. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has partnered with the Philadelphia Fire Department to provide specialized training focused on pediatric emergency response. This partnership aims to equip around 500 paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) with the skills necessary to effectively care for young patients during critical situations.

The training program covers vital areas such as recognizing signs of rapid health deterioration in children, administering medications, initiating IVs on small bodies with difficult veins, and performing high-quality CPR tailored specifically for children. Theresa Walls, an emergency physician and medical director at CHOP's EMS Institute, emphasizes that high-quality CPR is crucial for saving lives, often even more so than complex procedures like intubation or medication administration.

Despite standard EMS training including pediatric care, children represent a small portion of emergency calls, leading to fewer practice opportunities. This training is designed to boost EMS workers' confidence and competence when responding to pediatric emergencies, such as respiratory failure or trauma from falls, which are among the most common pediatric emergencies.

John Chattley, a fire service paramedic involved in the training, notes that uncertainty in high-stress situations can hinder decision-making, and enhanced training aims to reduce this. Data shows that roughly 10% of EMS calls involve patients aged 18 or younger, with only 1% being extremely ill, highlighting the need for specialized pediatric training.

Children's bodies and respiratory systems can decline rapidly, making vigilant assessment and prompt action critical. Particularly in infants, vital signs can deteriorate quickly, reinforcing the importance of proper CPR techniques like shallower chest compressions appropriate for children.

The training sessions are conducted every other week in a half-day format and will continue until all 500 EMS personnel are trained, with plans to expand outreach to other regional EMS groups. Overall, this initiative aims to ensure that first responders are better prepared and more confident to provide life-saving care to pediatric patients in emergencies.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-children-hospital-department-partner-pediatric.html