State-of-the art Communications Center that serves as the nucleus of the Center for Emergency Medical Services (CEMS) operations for the North Shore-LIj Health Systems Hospital Network. Staffed by Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics who are trained in emergency medical dispatch (EMD), the Center handles nearly 850 calls each day. From unstable cardiac patients needing emergency cardiac catheterization to time-sensitive pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) transfers to prescheduled basic life support transports, our Communications Center staff pulls it all together – when seconds count. High-tech facility includes satellite guidance, a cutting edge global positioning satellite (GPS) system that allows dispatchers to track ambulance locations and speed. Once calls are received and entered by CEMS operators, dispatchers use a sophisticated computer aided dispatch (CAD) and mapping system to locate and alert the closest unit to the assignment. From Manhattan to Montauk, CEMS dispatchers track nearly 35 ambulances handling close to 150 assignments each day.Network Emergency Management is a key responsibility of the CEMS. The Communications Center is at the core of any emergency management effort, doubling as the Health System’s Emergency Operations Center. When disasters strike, top personnel head to the CEMS Communications Center, and the response – including manpower and resources allocation – is coordinated at a Health System level. Backup phones, generator power, and interagency communications give dispatchers the tools they need to coordinate and track the progression of any emergency.