HAGERSTOWN – The Washington County Division of Emergency Services has announced a big advancement in pediatric emergency care with the acquisition of two new tools to help responders select the right equipment in response to emergency situations involving children.
Funded through the Maryland Health Care Commission Trauma Services Equipment Grant and facilitated by Meritus Health, the state-of-the-art pediatric bags and a mobile app by HandTevy are now available to EMS field clinicians across the county.
Together, these tools strengthen patient safety, lower the chance of medical errors and optimize response time priorities.
“This investment reflects our dedication to protecting our community’s youngest and most vulnerable,” DES officials said. “With the HandTevy system, we’re not just keeping up, we’re setting a new standard for pediatric emergency care.”
In a communiqué this week, DES officials explained the new pediatric bags introduce a color-coded system tailored to patient ages that allows clinicians to swiftly identify and access age-appropriate medical equipment under the stress of high-pressure, time-sensitive emergencies.
The system minimizes guesswork, enhances efficiency and reduces the risk of delays to help ensure young patients receive timely and accurate care in situations where time is precious.
Standardized across all ambulances and EMS supervisor vehicles in the county, these bags create a seamless experience for clinicians. No matter which vehicle they’re assigned to, EMS providers can rely on consistent, easy-to-locate pediatric equipment, empowering them to deliver critical care with precision.
Though new to Maryland, the color-coded bags have been earlier introduced in others states and have been successful in improving response times and accuracy in pediatric emergencies
“The straightforward layout of the HandTevy Pediatric Response bags makes it very simple and easy for paramedics to quickly respond in a pediatric emergency,” said Crystal Youmans, a paramedic from Calhoun County, South Carolina.
Schanen Lyons, an EMS trainer also from South Carolina, added “We are confident the acquisition of the pediatric response bags helps assure that our first responders have the highest level of training and equipment available, are more proficient at their skills and reduce the stress level while attending to a critically ill or injured child.”
Paired with the HandTevy mobile application, the system takes emergency response to the next level. The app equips field clinicians with real-time guidance, supporting precise, life-saving interventions tailored to each child’s needs.
It delivers fast, accurate medication dosing and equipment sizing information for both pediatric and adult patients. Users input a patient’s age, weight or length, and the app calculates precise doses, equipment sizes and drip rates instantly.
Integrated with the color-coded pediatric bag, the app reduces errors, enhances confidence and improves outcomes by streamlining critical decisions in high-pressure situations.
