Coastal Valleys EMS Agency News

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released Administrative Policy 4013 Leave Behind Narcan Authorization

When an ambulance or fire service responds to a 911 call for an overdose, First Responder Firefighters, Law Enforcement, EMTs and Paramedics administer Naloxone to prevent a patient from dying, but do not provide any additional Naloxone to treat subsequent overdoses at the emergency scene. 

Coastal Valleys EMS Agency is releasing policy #4013 Leave Behind Naloxone Authorization as a novel approach for EMS and Fire Department participation to help prevent death due to overdoses. The policy will allow EMS and Fire Department providers to implement an agency/department specific Leave Behind Naloxone (LBN) program and provides responders with medical control authorization to leave Naloxone at an emergency scene when the risk of subsequent overdose is suspected.

Link to Administrative Policy 4013 Leave Behind Narcan Authorization

Link to public comment/LEMSA response matrix

Please contact Jen Banks, EMS Coordinator with any additional questions at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released EMS Special Memorandum 23-002 Medication Substitution

The memo is intended to provide authorization for alternative medication usage and the use of expired medication in response to a national shortage of Albuterol in liquid form. The memo also provides for paramedic Metered Dose Inhaler administration of Albuterol after training.

The memo is available here and includes an embedded training document link.

Any questions regarding the training material or medication administration may be directed to Dr. Mark Luoto, EMS Agency Medical Director at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released EMS Special Memorandum 23-001 

 This EMS Special Memo is intended to clarify that the Stat Ambulance Transfers Policy allows for the emergency transport of “acute, unstable patients in need of immediate intervention by a facility offering a higher level of care” regardless of treatment location within an acute care facility.

The current language states that patients eligible for a Stat Ambulance transfer are limited to those being treated and located in an Emergency Department. In contrast, the EMS Agency would like to clarify that the policy is not intended to limit eligibility based on patient’s treatment location. An example might be a patient in a critical care unit with a STEMI and no available interventional cardiology available at the facility.

There is no change in the intent to limit the use of 911 ambulance resources to such critical cases. This clarification regarding patient location is not intended to expand the use of this policy to facilitate transfers of patients that are not in extremis or as a substitute for ALS or CCT transfer resources.

Changes are being drafted to the current policy to clarify intent, patient eligibility, and process. This EMS Special Memo is effective immediately.  The current Stat Ambulance Transfer Policy will be released for public comment following the release of this EMS Special Memo.

Please do not hesitate to contact the EMS Agency with any questions or concerns; staff contact is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

New and Revised Treatment Guideline Public Comment Release

Coastal Valleys EMS Agency has released a number of revisions to patient care Treatment Guidelines. Public Comment period will be open until March 21, 2023.

Please see this Summary of Changes for a detailed list of revisions.

These policy updates were made in collaboration with the Regional Policy Advisory Committee and approved by Dr. Mark Luoto. CVEMSA thanks our EMS system partners for the investment in time and effort in improving patient care. 

The individual policies can be found here:

7102 Dysrhythmia

7802 Uncontrolled Bleeding/Tourniquet

7920 Synchronized Cardioversion

7919 External Pacing

7918 Intraosseous (IO) vascular Access

Please send all public comment or questions to Carly Sullivan. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Administrative Policy 2012 Paramedic Accreditation

Revised 12/06/2022 effective 01/06/2023

CVEMSA Administrative Policy 2012 Paramedic Accreditation effective January 6, 2023, as well as public comment and responses to comments received during the public comment period are linked below:

Administrative Policy 2012 Paramedic Accreditation

Public Comment Matrix with response by CVEMSA

The revised policy reinforces the standard accreditation practices of the local EMS system while acknowledging the need to retain the flexibility to make adjustments on a temporary basis as has been the case during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The EMS Agency would like to thank stakeholders who provided comments and suggested language changes, some of which was incorporated into the final version. The EMS Agency Medical Director does not plan on rescinding any accreditation waivers or modifications currently in place on the policy implementation date, but is considering a timeframe for a return to the normal requirements and will consult with system stakeholders on that issue prior to making changes.

Please direct any question regarding this posting to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Coastal Valleys EMS Agency is preparing to release Administrative Policy 4013, Leave Behind Naloxone Authorization.

When an ambulance or fire service responds to a 911 call for an overdose, First Responder firefighters, Law Enforcement, EMT’s and Paramedics administer Naloxone to prevent a patient from dying but do not provide any additional Naloxone to treat subsequent overdoses at the emergency scene. Coastal Valleys EMS Agency is releasing this policy as a novel approach for EMS and Fire Department participation to help prevent death due to overdoses.

This policy will allow EMS and Fire Department providers to implement an agency/department specific Leave Behind Narcan program and provides Medical Control authorization to Leave Naloxone at an emergency scene when subsequent overdose is suspected.

 Review the policy in the Draft Policy section of the CVEMSA website

Public Comment for this revision will be open through Friday, February 3, 2023.  Comments should be sent via email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Coastal Valleys EMS Agency values stakeholder feedback and encourages comments.