Coastal Valleys EMS Agency News

CVEMSA has published final versions of the policies listed below following public comment.

Administrative Policy 4008, Turnover of Patient Care has been revised to support the increased use of Basic Life Support ambulance transport where such utilization is medically appropriate for patients. The policy provides direction to EMS care providers for patient-centric decision making. This policy formalizes current medical direction provided in EMS Special Memorandum 23-005

Administrative Policy 4010 EMT Transport of Emergent Patients, is a new policy that guides decision making for EMT caregivers when considering immediate transport to an emergency department or an ALS intercept when managing critical patients in the absence of paramedics on scene. This policy formalizes current medical direction provided in EMS Special Memorandum 23-005

Administrative Policy 4014 Stat (Emergency) Ambulance Transfer revised to include “Emergency” in the title for clarity. Also expanded to be applicable to emergency obstetric cases in hospitals without OB services. Dispatch interrogation of callers revised to confirm patient location in sending facility which may be in critical care areas of the hospital in addition to the ED. Paramedic scope of practice limitations are called out within the policy to differentiate STAT (Emergency) Transfers from Critical Care Transfers.  

The policy updates are incorporated into the CVEMSA Administrative Policy Manual (4-2024 revision) available here.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released Administrative Policy 4010 EMT Transport of Emergent Patients for public comment.

Public Comment Period Open 12/18/2023 - 2/18/2024

Administrative Policy 4010 EMT Transport of Emergent Patients, is a new policy that guides decision making for EMT caregivers when considering immediate transport to an emergency department or an ALS intercept when managing critical patients in the absence of paramedics on scene.

Please send all comments to James Salvante, EMS Coordinator. Here is a public comment matrix for submission of written comments.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released the following EMS Special Memoranda:

23-004 Authorization to Discontinue Ketamine

Authorizing the discontinued purchase and use of Ketamine Hydrochloride. Once the provider agency decision has been made to discontinue purchase/use of Ketamine Hydrochloride, please be sure to remove the medication from stock of all apparatus, portable equipment, ambulances, and mental Health units on the same day. This is not an official requirement to remove the medication from stock immediately. If agencies can maintain par levels of Ketamine Hydrochloride there will be no requirement to remove it from stock until the policy is officially revised.

The memo is available here.

Please direct any questions or concerns regarding to content of this EMS Special Memo to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

23-005 Tiered Response Phase 2

Intended to support the Phase 2 implementation of Tiered Response within Sonoma County’s Exclusive Operating Area 1 (EOA-1). The Special Memo incorporates by reference draft versions of CVEMSA Administrative Policies 4008, Turnover of Patient Care and 4010, EMT Transport of Emergent Patients. CVEMSA may make changes to both draft polices after the public comment discussion. Once versions of 4008 and 4010 are finalized and published, EMS Special Memo 23-005 will be superseded by the final policy versions.

 The memo is available here.

Please feel free to send any comments and concerns regarding this EMS Special Memo to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released proposed revisions to CVEMSA Administrative Policy 4008, Turnover of Patient Care for a 60-day public comment period. 

The policy revisions are intended to support the increased use of Basic Life Support ambulance transport where such utilization is medically appropriate for patients. The policy provides direction to EMS care providers for patient-centric decision making. The revised version of the policy is available for review here. The public comment period will remain open through January 22, 2024. Please submit all comments to: james.salvante@sonoma-county.org

All comments received will be reviewed and responses published with any final version of the policy. 

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released EMS Special Memorandum 23-003 Accreditation Authorization Process for EMT Administration of Draw-up Epinephrine 2023

The memo (linked here) provides process for accreditation of Emergency Medical Technicians to administer epinephrine via a draw-up syringe after training in the skill. This Memo also serves as a reauthorization of any EMTs accredited in the skill through EMS Special Memorandum 22-004.

Please contact EMS Coordinator James Salvante at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions or concerns related to this EMS Special Memorandum.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released the draft version of Administrative Policy 4001 Ambulance Service Provider Permits.

The draft is available for review here: 4001 Public Comment Version 

The public comment period will be open through November 28, 2023. Please send any comments to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.