[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 135 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S12363]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN [EMSC] 10th ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate 
the Emergency Medical Services for Children [EMSC] Grant Program on its 
10th anniversary, and acknowledge the progress it has made in meeting 
the emergency care needs of our Nation's children. Before the 
authorization legislation was passed in 1984 most emergency care 
training focused on adult care while the needs of children were 
underrecognized. Little was known regarding appropriate drugs and 
dosages for children, and pediatric equipment was not readily available 
in emergency departments nor in ambulances. Now, more than 40 States 
have received funding to improve the emergency care provided to acutely 
ill and seriously injured children, and training in pediatric emergency 
health care has been greatly expanded nationwide.
  It is a tremendous source of pride for me, as I am sure it is for 
Senator Hatch and Senator Kennedy, to have introduced this legislation 
in the Congress a decade ago and to witness the dedication of those who 
have worked so diligently toward implementation of the various EMSC 
programs across the country. Few people realize that emergency medical 
service systems are relatively new--in fact, development of a network 
of lifesaving resources and technology began a scant 30 years ago. Even 
fewer realize that these systems initially made no allowance for the 
unique medical needs of children. During the past 10 years, many people 
have striven to correct this situation, and EMSC has proven to be an 
investment in our children that has paid countless dividends in the 
form of lives saved.
  Few of us will ever forget the images of innocent people suffering in 
the wake of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma 
City. Our Nation's collective emotion galvanized around the 
unforgettable image of the limp body of a child being carried by a 
firefighter. If that tragedy had occurred 4 years earlier, prior to an 
EMSC implementation grant awarded to the Department of Pediatrics at 
the University of Oklahoma Health Services Center, many lifesaving 
components would not have been in place. Each ambulance that responded 
to the incident was equipped with pediatric emergency care resources 
above the national standard. Firefighters, police, doctors, and nurses 
on the scene were able to assist children effectively because they were 
trained in pediatric emergency care. All of the these things were 
possible because of EMSC funding at the Federal level to the State of 
Oklahoma.
  Because our children are our most precious resource, our challenge is 
to take the EMSC infrastructure that now exists and extend it 
everywhere so that the system works for all children. A recent 
Institute of Medicine report on pediatric emergency care documented 
many remaining gaps. Health care providers remain uninformed about 
emergency pediatric care, many communities lack even the basic elements 
of a functional system for emergency care, much of the public remains 
untrained in CPR and bystander care, and many injury prevention 
technologies have yet to be generally adopted. We still have much to 
learn. Research and evaluation are critical in identifying problems, 
assessing how effectively our strategies address those problems, and 
enhancing every aspect of care.
  Join me in celebrating this important 10 year anniversary by pledging 
continued support for EMSC so that the special needs of vulnerable 
children will be met. I extend my best wishes for the future as EMSC 
reaches for its goal to serve every region of our country and to 
provide our children with the highest quality emergency care possible. 
I would also like to recognize the outstanding contributions of Dr. 
Jean Athey, the current program administrator, and my long-time friend, 
Dr. Cal Sia, a visionary among pediatricians, who have been so vital to 
the success of this invaluable program. Congratulations, EMSC, for 10 
years of dedicated service.


                          ____________________