Transportation & Disposition of Deceased Persons – General Order 05-14 (PGFD)

20 vocabulary flashcards summarizing critical terms and definitions from the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS General Order 05-14 on Transportation and Disposition of Deceased Persons.

Deceased Person

A body/remains of an individual for whom emergency medical care is no longer required; no longer considered a patient.

Maryland Medical Protocols for EMS Providers ("Protocols")

Statewide clinical guidelines that direct EMS assessment, treatment, and disposition—including rules for death determination and transport.

EMRC (Emergency Medical Resource Center)

Statewide medical‐radio system linking field EMS providers with hospital physicians for consultation and orders.

ePCR (Electronic Patient Care Report)

Jurisdiction-approved electronic tool used to document EMS encounters in compliance with COMAR and Protocols.

PSC (Public Safety Communications)

Prince George’s County 911 center/PSAP that dispatches Police, Fire and EMS and records ‘Priority 4’ death notifications.

OCME (Office of the Chief Medical Examiner)

Maryland state agency legally empowered to investigate and determine cause and manner of human death.

Priority 4

Radio notification code used to advise PSC that a patient has been determined deceased (time logged as official time of death).

Presumed Dead on Arrival

Protocol category for victims who, upon initial assessment, meet criteria in which resuscitation is not started.

Physician-Directed Termination of Unsuccessful, Non-Traumatic Field Resuscitation

Protocol allowing on-line medical control to order cessation of CPR when efforts are futile and non-traumatic.

BLS Transport Unit

Basic Life Support ambulance authorized to perform non-emergency transport of deceased persons when requested.

EMS Duty Officer (EMS801)

On-call supervisory officer whose authorization is required for body transport outside protocol-defined situations.

Law-Enforcement Incident Commander

Officer in charge of a crime or death scene who decides scene access and authorizes removal of a body.

Non-Emergency Transport

Transport mode (no lights/sirens) used for deceased persons; requires EMRC notification and PSC update.

Inter-Agency Cooperation

Mandatory sharing of information and assistance between Fire/EMS, law enforcement, OCME, and hospitals at death scenes.

Transfer of Care/Custody

Process of handing a deceased person from EMS to hospital staff—registration through ED then delivery to morgue.

Protected Health Information (PHI) Release

Disclosure of patient data permitted to law enforcement or OCME when investigating cause/manner of death.

Evidence Preservation

EMS duty to avoid disturbing clothing, property, or scene elements that could hinder a death investigation.

General Order 05-14

Prince George’s County Fire/EMS directive defining roles, responsibilities, and procedures for deceased-person incidents.

COMAR

Code of Maryland Regulations governing EMS documentation standards, including ePCR requirements.

Unsafe Scene Removal

Rare circumstance where a body may be moved before law enforcement arrives to prevent further hazard or exposure.