• State the purpose of the Incident tab
• Identify the main menus of the Incident tab
• Explain the functions of the screens within each menu
• Use crew logon / logoff to change crew for the shift
The Incident tab is a bit of a catch-all, in that it includes event information that’s not related to the patient. An important part of learning to work with the Incident tab is simply remembering what is found here!
Key Point: You are not required to make an entry into every field in the Incident tab. Get familiar with what is found here, and when something about a call warrants an entry, use these fields to enter the information.
• There is a road hazard situation that affects the amount of time it takes to get to the patient (Complications / Barriers).
• A police officer is attending a situation involving a patient with a mental illness
• You are attending an MCI.
Some of the information entered in this section can be received from CAD.
This menu is intended for you to enter information regarding
your call sign, vehicle and crew, when that information is related only to the open PCR.
There are two screens within Vehicle / Crew.
On the General screen, you can change your call sign and vehicle type. (It would be rare that you’d need to do this for a single PCR). You may need to change your call sign for a multi-casualty incident (MCI). You may need to update your vehicle type
for a particular patient transfer (e.g. over water or by air).
Enter information about additional crew that are on car for this single PCR only. For example, if a nurse joins you on car and is providing patient care, you would add them. OR, if ALS crew members hop in your ambulance for a call, you’ll add them here.
Key Point: The dialogues shown above are the same as the ones you encounter when you log into Siren,
so be aware that there are two different places to change crew information.
• Crew changes for single PCR only: Use Crew in the Incident tab as shown above.
• Crew changes for the duration of your shift: If you need to make a change to your crew
for the duration of your shift, go to Menu > File > Logon / Logoff to access the area in Siren
that you used when you logged on (as shown on the right).
Just like the name says, this is the place where you’ll enter most of your information regarding the incident.
In the General screen you’ll enter your high-level information regarding the incident.
Key Point: Siren’s CAD functionality will automatically enter information into the fields numbered in black. (Should the CAD functionality be unavailable, you’ll complete all fields manually).
1. Call Received Date / Time (CAD): If no CAD event received, enter manually.
2. To / From Event Number: Used only for offload delay PCRs.
3. Event number (CAD): If no CAD event received, enter the full number, including the “E” prefix (e.g. E17000333444)
4. Multi-Leg Event Number: (CAD)
5. MPDS Determinant (CAD): Use the full pick list button to access the complete list (see the module Navigation Part 1: The Pick List)
6. Patient X of Y: Use these fields when there are multiple patients at a single event (an MCI),
7. Special Precautions (CAD): Contains special notes or precautions from CAD regarding the call, for example
door code or IFO.
Enter address and other information related to the incident location.
1. Address 1 (CAD): For a regular transport, when the Incident Location is an apartment, unit or room, (such as in an apartment building or hotel), enter the information in the format shown in this example – street address followed by apartment, unit or room number in the same field.
Do not enter the patient’s room number in Address 1 for an interfacility transfer.
2. Address 2 (CAD): Use this field to enter additional information about the incident location:
a. Name of a business or other relevant name
b. Interfacility transfer: The name of the referring facility
3. Room #: Use for interfacility transfer only. (Do not use for regular transport).
4. Location Type: Siren includes many location types.
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, you can use Other Place.
If the original incident location information provided by dispatch was incorrect or the location of the patient has changed, enter the correct / new information here.
Key Point:
1. Same as Incident Location: Start by using this button to copy over the Incident Location information. Then revise only the details that need to be changed.
2. Referring Facility: Do not use this field.
Key Point: The Destination screen is where you’ll enter information regarding your destination.
1. Receiving Facility information: Always enter the receiving facility as soon as you know it so that the information will appear on the SNB and so that triage staff will know what to prepare for. Once you choose the facility from the pick list, the address information will fill in automatically.
2. Destination Type: Enter information here only if the destination is a type other than a hospital or care facility, such as when you’re transporting a patient home.
3. Reason for Choosing Destination: If pertinent, indicate the reason.
On every call, enter a response mode for both Response to Scene and Transport to Destination.
Within Times / Details, there are four screens:
• Times
• Scene Information
• Complications / Barriers
• Exposure
Siren includes time fields for many important times during a call.
First, let’s look at the times that you normally enter into CAD.
Key Point: When you use CAD to record any of the following 4 key times, the information will be automatically downloaded to your PCR in Siren.
1. En route to Scene
2. At Scene
3. En route to Destination
4. At Destination
Enter all other times into Siren in the usual way.
When possible, tap the times into Siren in realtime, using the Current time button. This will make your timestamp entries accurate and will involve less data entry than if you enter the times later on.
If the times you’ve entered are out of sequence, they will display in red, as a warning.
Scene Information contains a variety of fields.
1. Other Responder at Scene: Indicate other types of responder at the scene
2. First Responder Arrival: Use for Cardiac Arrests ONLY. Enter the time or estimated time of First Responder Arrival.
3. Scene Hazards: Enter any scene hazards you encounter. Review this list when you have a moment, so that you are aware of the extensive list that is available.
4. Police Badge Number: Enter Police Badge Number of officer(s) on scene.
5. Advance Directives – Type: Enter the patient’s advance directives as found on their form
6. In Custody / Mental Health Act: If the patient is in custody, incarcerated or under involuntary section, enter that information here.
7. Multi Casualty Incident: Indicate “Yes” if this PCR is part of a Multi Casualty Incident (MCI).
8. Major Incident Type: Indicate a Major Incident Type.
Use this screen to enter barrier information in three categories: Scene, transport and turnaround.
It’s important to document crew member exposure to hazardous materials.
To create an entry for each crew member exposure:
1. Add a new exposure entry
2. Select the crew member exposed.
3. Select the type of exposure.
• You are not required to make an entry into every field in the Incident tab.
• The Vehicle / Crew section is intended for you to enter information regarding your call sign, vehicle and crew that is related only to the open PCR.
• Some of the information in the Incident tab can be received from CAD.
• Address 1: Enter unit / apt. # after street address
• Address 2: Enter descriptive (name) information about the location
• Enter the Destination (receiving facility) as soon as you know it.