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To serve the public and support first responders, effective provision of local pre-hospital care requires the coordination and cooperation of disparate elements. To address all the diverse factors, and to design and/or evaluate a comprehensive EMS system, consult the 2009 NFPA 450: Guide for Emergency Medical Services and Systems.

Now in its second edition, this important guide presents a practical framework of specific guidelines and recommendations, based on recent experience drawn from real-world scenarios and events. Everyone involved in EMS systems design or evaluation, from local stakeholders to owners and staff of agencies and organizations, needs the latest edition of NFPA 450.