ensure a response if these providers are unable. Continuity of coverage Not all locations have ambulances on station at all times. Alternatively, response cars may be placed with a single paramedic or technician instead of an ambulance. Communications All LMEMS resources are dispatched and tracked by MetroSafe, a unit of Metro Government that coexists within the Emergency Services that handles all public safety communications. Previously many separate dispatch centers existed staffed by the individual agencies they served. MetroSafe puts, for the first time in area history, all emergency call-taking and radio dispatching under one roof. In addition to radio telecommunications MetroSafe is the primary answering point for all 911 calls placed inside Louisville-Jefferson County. Two-way radio The current Louisville Metro public safety radio system is a Motorola Project 25-compliant trunking system. Voice encryption is used for many channels including all those used by LMEMS, thus radio traffic cannot be received using a scanner. By using voice encryption the chances of protected health information (PHI) being compromised by unauthorized monitoring is greatly reduced. Response By department procedure, response requests are assigned to LMEMS resources based on their proximity to the incident and the skill level anticipated by using information gathered from the caller. When a BLS unit is closer to an incident believed to require advanced care an additional ambulance (or, if available, a chase-car) containing a paramedic is also dispatched. Using information gathered from the call, assigned resources are also instructed response with red lights and siren (termed Code-3) or without lights and siren (termed Code-1). If the BLS ambulance crew first arrives and determines that advanced care is not needed the ALS resource may be canceled and ready to respond elsewhere. Patients are transported to any of the area hospitals either Code-1 or Code-3. The decision to use, or not to use, lights and siren en route to the hospital is at the sole discretion of the crew. Area Hospitals Current hospitals served by Louisville Metro EMS include: the five hospitals and a pediatric outpatient medical center owned by Norton Healthcare Norton Children's Hospital (downtown Louisville) Norton Children's Medical Center (Springhurst, Louisville) Norton Women's and Children's Hospital (St Matthews, Louisville) Norton Hospital (downtown Louisville) Norton Brownsboro Hospital (Springhurst, Louisville) Norton Audubon Hospital (City of Audubon, Louisville) the hospitals of UofL Health University of Louisville Hospital, the region's level 1 trauma center. Saints Mary and Elizabeth Hospital (Beechmont, Louisville) Jewish