In an effort to improve prehospital care of children facing medical emergencies, Phoenix Children’s will host the EMS and Prehospital Care Conference on Oct. 30 at the Wild Horse Pass Resort, located at 5040 Wild Horse Pass Blvd. in Chandler.  

Phoenix Children’s physician experts will headline the event, that will bring together nearly 1,000 first responders, doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and other medical providers from across Arizona.

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“Every second counts in an emergency, especially when children are involved” said Julie Augenstein, MD, emergency department physician and EMS Base Hospital medical director at Phoenix Children’s. “We want to make sure first responders have access to the knowledge and tools they need to provide immediate life-saving care for Arizona’s children, who come with different symptoms, ways of communicating and require different treatments than adults.”  

This is the fifth EMS conference Phoenix Children’s has produced. The health system prioritizes this training to ensure EMS partners can recognize pediatric-specific symptoms and know how to help stabilize Arizona’s youngest patients. The goal is to ensure children arrive at the hospital in the best condition possible.  

The day-long event will provide training in emergency care for infants and children experiencing trauma, heart issues, heat-related illnesses, sepsis, complications after a home birth and other serious and life-threatening emergencies. Emergency medical technicians, paramedics and nurses can earn up to six accredited pediatric continuing education hours.  

The conference will also include an address by Shaughn Maxwell, a nationally acclaimed leader, speaker and writer about human factors, performance, leadership and community paramedicine. Maxwell has more than 30 years’ experience in fire service and currently oversees EMS and Community Paramedic Operations for more than 300 firefighters who respond to 30,000 calls annually in South Snohomish County in Washington.  

Phoenix Children’s is a communications hub for pediatric emergencies, providing guidance to EMTs, paramedics and firefighters in the field regardless of whether the patient’s final destination is Phoenix Children’s or another hospital.  

The Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus Emergency Department is an Advanced Life Support (ALS) Base Hospital verified by the Arizona Department of Health Services specifically for pediatrics. Phoenix Children’s is the only children’s hospital in Arizona to earn this accreditation.  

The health system has pediatric emergency departments at Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Thomas Campus and the new Phoenix Children’s – Avondale Campus, which opened in July 2023. Phoenix Children’s will further expand its number of pediatric emergency departments in 2024 with the openings of Phoenix Children’s Hospital – Arrowhead Campus and Phoenix Children’s Hospital – East Valley Campus. 

The EMS and Prehospital Care Conference will also feature an exhibitor hall with vendors who provide services to first responders. This year’s exhibitors include Maricopa Ambulance, Banner Air, Native Air, Guardian Air, Gila River EMS, Gila River Health Care, Grand Canyon University, Blueline AZ Homes brokered by My Home Group, Ruiz Team at Prime Lending, Academy of Emergency Arts and many others.  

First responders are encouraged to register in advance for the conference at https://ems.phoenixchildrens.org/.