Are big trucks needed for medical emergencies?

[MMiz]

Are big trucks needed for medical emergencies?

The type of vehicle in which firefighters respond to medical calls is sometimes a bone of contention for people.

Setting aside the cost of gas and maintenance, seeing fire engines regularly rushing through residential neighbourhoods on their way to calls makes some question whether or not there might be a better way.

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[mikeylikesit]

yeah firemen...leave it to EMS. lets us get there first for once...without you hogging all the chicks.B)

 

[Jon]

BillyG recently brought this up on TheSecretList... Public Safety costs money. "gas is too expensive" isn't a good reason to decrease the number of apparatus on a call... that can jeapordize public safety. The bigger concern is on fire responses, where run cards and SOPs call for response of X for a structure fire... and now they are only going to send 2 engines and 1 ladder... so you loose your RIT team.

If the city felt that FF's doing MFR work was needed... changing it because of gas costs is BS. They should have seen studies and times to justify it, and they thought it was a good move.

 

[firecoins]

Sending the FD to a medical seems like overkill to begin with but if your going to have a CFR/MFR type response an SUV does the trick.

 

[JPINFV]

If a fire engine doesn't add something to a call that a more suitably sized vehicle (say, for example, an SUV) doesn't, then yes, it is wasteful. You really can't go "ZOMG What if there's a fire AT the medical call !!!111onez." In the rare event that there is, just dispatch the engine and be done with it.

 

[emtwacker710]

i agree and also disagree with sending a larger piece of apparatus to an EMS call as I am both a vol. firefighter and EMT and run with both sides...around here fire does ems first response, if its a simple call and they are toning for FD first response yea take your SUV flycar or pickup or whatever your company has, we happen to have an F-350 turbo crew cab with a utility box..anyways...but on the other hand if you have 4-5 guys hanging at the station and you get toned for an arrest..i personally would want them all to go to assist until the rig got there...thats just my opinion..

 

[Ridryder911]

I have no problem sending any Fire Service Apparatus to any emergency scene. Personally, I use Fire Service as much on medicals than even on trauma. Carrying patients, equipment, as well on cardiac arrest.

Now, I do think it is foolish for Fire Services to have a driver(s) for a Chief in their own Chief car or providing the Mayor a limo or City Manager paid vehicles as well as non emergency city workers that get to take a vehicle home or even offered a vehicle to drive.

When comparing fuel costs, let's really really compare the costs of non-essential to essential items. I am sure everyone would be surprised on how much waste occurs.

Let's cut corners realistically.

R/r 911

 

[gradygirl]

I've never had a problem with fire responding to medical calls, especially as they are the first responders for the city of Hartford. I do, however, mind when the firefighters act like the patient is theirs, when in fact, as a higher levels of care, the patient is ours (the ambulance crew's). And I mind even more when I am trying to do something with a patient and the firefighters try to tell me to get out of the way, that they're doing something (like trying to put a patient on a stretcher while the patient has me in an arm lock and is sobbing to me to not let him die...) <_<