BLS Ambulance Staffing

Are First Responders Allowed to Ride on A BLS RIG

  • Yes!:)

    Votes: 24 15.1%

  • No:(

    Votes: 34 21.4%

  • Only if they are with an EMT in the back

    Votes: 73 45.9%

  • Only as an observer and to not provide any care

    Votes: 28 17.6%
  • Total voters
    159
frdude1000

frdude1000

Forum Captain
Messages
279
Reaction score
0
Points
16
How do you staff your BLS ambulances? Do you do 2 emt's, three emts's? What is the training level of the driver? Do you allow/have first responders on the ambulance?
 
Never ever heard of a BLS ambulance around here. I think everyone knows better.
 
Do you allow first responders on the ambulance

Do you allow first responders to provide care on a BLS rig?

a. Yes
b. No
c. Only if their is an EMT with them in the back
d. As an advisor to watch and to not provide ANY care
 
Duplicate threads merged.
 
in MA, a BLS truck cannot role unless it has 2 EMTs, an ALS unless it has 2 medics (or a waiver for p/b) somewhere on the truck.
 
In WA, the minimum requirements are different between medical and trauma calls. For a medical call, the ambulance must be staffed with a minimum of an EMT and Advanced First Aid. For trauma, the minimum staffing requirements are an EMT and a FR.
 
ffemt8978 said:
In WA, the minimum requirements are different between medical and trauma calls. For a medical call, the ambulance must be staffed with a minimum of an EMT and Advanced First Aid. For trauma, the minimum staffing requirements are an EMT and a FR.
Click to expand...
Isn't EMT the same as Advanced First Aid? :P
On a serious note, what is the difference between AFA and FR?
 
I don't know how to make this short and simple. So, here is my convoluted system setup for handling BLS and ALS staffing simultaneously.

Our system is set up around the idea that not every ambulance is going to have a medic, as there aren't enough to go around. Trucks are all manned by a standard two people. If you are a truck with two Basics, you log in your truck as a "Rescue" truck. IE: "920R"

If you log in with an Enhanced, you log in as "920S" for "Shock/Trauma."

Intermediate gets an "I," and Medics get a "P." On the very rare occasion you don't have more than one EMT on board, you log in as a Driver Only vehicle, which is the same thing only with a "D" in front of your letter. "920DR" or "920DP."

Now, there are only two of the eleven stations that will allow for a driver only vehicle. All the rest of them are too busy, and if you are unable to man a second person EMS admin sends one of the paid medics to work on the truck with you, taking them off "zone duty."

In the cases of a rescue truck needing ALS, every area is covered by a zone car, which is basically a police interceptor with our logo on it. They are dispatched simultaneously as the ambulance, and dispatched almost immediately if the Basics request one previous to arriving or once on scene. One Basic will drive the truck, one will drive the zone car, and the medic treats the patient in the back on the way to the hospital.

With those rare cases of a driver only truck, either the basic drives the truck with ALS in the back and a firefighter driving the zone, or the basic treats the patient (BLS patients only, of course) while a firefighter drives the ambulance. Either way, the firefighter hates it because they can't just leave and go back to sleep, they have to follow the EMT and wait for the paperwork to get done before they are allowed to go back.
 
We work at the double basic, PI, PB, or double medic level. during certain types of calls we will take fire FR with us. usally they will drive or help with the emt in the back.
 
When I worked IFT, EMT-B was the lowest allowed on an ambulance. I don't think MFRs have any place working on a truck, unless they are the third man and all they are allowed to do is drive.
 
jtpaintball70 said:
When I worked IFT, EMT-B was the lowest allowed on an ambulance. I don't think MFRs have any place working on a truck, unless they are the third man and all they are allowed to do is drive.
Click to expand...

Virginia doesn't even have a "First Responder" status. It's EMT-B as the lowest rate.
 
My state will allow "individual" protocols but to be licensed as a Paramedic Life Support EMS Service, there has to be a Paramedic on each truck.

In reality there is not much difference in expenditure for staffing ALS and BLS. Considering the amount of payment structure.

R/r 911
 
Foxbat said:
Isn't EMT the same as Advanced First Aid? :P
On a serious note, what is the difference between AFA and FR?
Click to expand...

AFA is an 8 hour course similar to industrial first aid...FR is about 80 hours and they can do spinal immobilization, administer O2, assist patient with meds, etc...
 
ffemt8978 said:
AFA is an 8 hour course similar to industrial first aid...FR is about 80 hours and they can do spinal immobilization, administer O2, assist patient with meds, etc...
Click to expand...
Then what's the difference between FR and EMT-B?
 
limited pharmacology and med administration, more depth with medical and trauma. not much.
 
I work a 911 BLS rig. We staff BB, and, on calls, can grab up to 2 fire personnel (PP or PB). Normally, at most, we grab one P, so, in the back, we're B, BP, or BBP or BPP
 
Hastings said:
Never ever heard of a BLS ambulance around here. I think everyone knows better.
Click to expand...
Same here. There hasn't been a BLS ambulance round these parts in over twenty years, thank God. However, in Texas, non-emergency transfer trucks can staff with one MFR, so long as the other crew member is at least an EMT. No such thing in Florida.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top