Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System (BREMSS)
The Right Response: Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System Can Count on SouthernLINC Wireless’ Private and Dependable Network
Reliable communications is critical to successful emergency response. Perhaps no one understands this better
than the Birmingham Regional Emergency Medical Services System (BREMSS), a group of emergency response agencies
that banded together more than 30 years ago to improve communication between multiple agencies during emergency
response efforts.
Serving more than 1.5 million people across seven counties, the organization works with all
components of the Emergency Medical Services System, including more than 185 Emergency
Medical Services (EMS) provider agencies, 17 hospitals, more than 2,500 Emergency Medical
Technicians (EMTs), 10 trauma centers, 12 stroke center hospitals, approximately 80 different
municipalities and 19 different 911 agencies.
In its early days, BREMSS maintained its own radio towers and operated a proprietary radio system.
In 1991, BREMSS opted to use cell phones for communications; however, they proved problematic because
coverage was unreliable in rural areas and during severe weather which cut vital communications links
and sometimes jeopardized emergency response efforts.
The integrated wireless communications service from SouthernLINC Wireless is an ideal fit for BREMSS.
Unlike broadcasting over commercial two-way radios, SouthernLINC Wireless’ Push to Talk service enables
private, instant communications by using iDEN (Integrated Digital Enhanced Network) technology from Motorola.
Additionally, stronger coverage is not an issue with SouthernLINC Wireless because its network was
specifically built to support Southern Company’s subsidiaries, which include Alabama Power,
Georgia Power, Gulf Power and Mississippi Power. Power company employees must be able to communicate
from rural areas and in some of the toughest conditions so SouthernLINC Wireless built in redundancies
and extra security features to help make sure communication was possible when needed most.
In a disaster situation, communications is usually the first thing to fail.
We knew that the utility companies heavily rely on their own communications system in an emergency.
Since SouthernLINC Wireless is a part of Southern Company, we recognized that they could provide us
with the reliable service we needed.
Michael Minor
Assistant Director and Data Coordinator
Today, many U.S. hospitals still use outdated systems that can be overloaded and scanned by the public
to communicate with other emergency response groups. The SouthernLINC Wireless network is digital and private.
There is no known scanner that can intercept communications over the SouthernLINC Wireless network. This is a
critical factor for emergency responders who must transmit confidential medical information.
Minor noted three areas that are essential to BREMSS’ communications:
- Instant communication: “The organization can use SouthernLINC Wireless’ network
to send short message alerts to all of the EMS providers in the region when a hospital becomes overloaded.
This provides ambulances with up-to-the-minute information about where to route patients.”
- Reliability: “BREMSS uses SouthernLINC Wireless handsets to dispatch the LifeSaver
medical helicopter. LifeSaver can travel anywhere in SouthernLINC Wireless’ footprint and still connect
with other EMS organizations using Push to Talk.”
- Connectivity: : “BREMSS operates one of the only real-time trauma systems in the world.
All of its trauma centers are linked via computers and SouthernLINC Wireless’ network, allowing hospital staff
to communicate internally and with other EMS providers regarding patient care and logistics.
 Learn More About SouthernLINC Wireless Solutions for Healthcare
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Several factors may affect or interfere with the service availability and quality as described above such as, but not limited to, network changes, traffic volume, service outages, weather and your equipment.
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