Does your service run special services ?

[eynonqrs]

I was wondering if your service runs any kind of special services ? e.g. Rescue MCI, etc.. My service that I volunteer with runs vehicle, trench, water and rope rescue. We also have a quad for wilderness rescue. Just curious to see.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Is this thread specific to Ambulance Service, Fire, or any and all types of emergency services?

 

[eynonqrs]

Sorry, I meant if your EMS service does.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Sorry, I meant if your EMS service does.

Once again, EMS referes to any agency that provides emergency medical services in any enviroment and in any manner. Hospital, Ambulance, Fire, Rescue Squads, SAR, Some LE, Forest Service, Air Ambulance, Ski Patrol, Wilderness Patrols, etc... all can and do provide EMS in some fashion in most areas of the U.S.

Did you mean Ambulance Service? Because EMS doesn't only mean Ambulance.

If you mean Ambulance, no the Ambulance Service in my area does not do anything past medical response/transport and MCI.

The Ambulance Company I worked for ran MCIs and had a Bike Patrol, but no other forms of rescue.

If you are not being Ambulance specific, then my SAR team provides it all and them some. MCI, Ropes, Swiftwater/Flood, Dive, Cave/Mine, Helos, Wilderness Search/Response (EMS, Horses, ATV, Snowmobiles, Skiiers, Trackers, dogs, etc...), and even some urban heavy rescue. But I will hold off on voting until it is clear if it is anAmbulance specific question.

 

[eynonqrs]

Sorry again, does your Ambulance Service do any special services. Also, it must an independent service. (non fire dept based)

 

[marineman]

No ours doesn't. Due to personnel requirements to accomplish other services in addition to providing patient care it would be rare to find an ambulance service providing any sort of rescue. Most 911 services run a 2 person crew, most of the rescue methods require at least 2 people leaving nobody to provide patient care during the rescue. If anyone is doing this it will probably be the very remote areas that have a 30+ minute response for the various services or they are some other sort of specialized service.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

No ours doesn't. Due to personnel requirements to accomplish other services in addition to providing patient care it would be rare to find an ambulance service providing any sort of rescue. Most 911 services run a 2 person crew, most of the rescue methods require at least 2 people leaving nobody to provide patient care during the rescue. If anyone is doing this it will probably be the very remote areas that have a 30+ minute response for the various services or they are some other sort of specialized service.

Agreed. I have heard of some ambulance services providing some rescue/extrication services in rremote areas where dedicated rescue services are volunteer and/or have a delayed response. In my general 100 mile radius area I can think of only 1 Ambulance Service (out of maybe 40-50) that provides anything beyond EMS Care/Transport. Their owner is a Master Diver, so he started that county's first Dive Rescue Team years and years ago. The county now has several other Dive Teams, but that one still sorta exists. But teh trainin, certification, equipment requirements for a lot of extra rescue usually isn't in the plans for most ambulance companies, unless they are attatched to a Fire Dept or Sheriff's Dept. But never on Private Ambulance... no money in it.

 

[cbjfan]

We run extrication and other basic rescue services. Mostly it is extrication when we do something other than typical patient care.

 

[Shishkabob]

Err... wouldn't ALL 911 services do MCIs?

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Err... wouldn't ALL 911 services do MCIs?

I thought the same thing; with the push to make sure all emergency service/public service workers have ICS200 shouldn't we all be working (or at least trained to work) MCIs? But I assume we are not talking about WORKING them, but maybe RUNNING them? In my area Fire (with all their Battalion Chiefs, Chiefs, and Captains) run most large urban incidents and Ambulance is part of the Operations Section (under Medical). Hell, when my county runs MCI drills we have Highway Patrol, Sheriff, PD, 10 different Fire Agencies, Ambulance, SAR, Forest Service, Community Patrol, Bus Companies, Amature Radio, etc... showing up and inserted into the drill... because we all could be involved in a real MCI. But I assume that here we are talking about Command Level Ambulance Personnel being available to run the incident?

 

[NolaRabbit]

The urban municipal service I work for runs heavy rescue/extrication, swiftwater rescue, boat operations and high angle/rope rescue.

I haven't taken the classes, but there are plenty of opportunities for anyone who is interested to get the certs. There are even grants in place that make the training free! Most of the classes run in tandem with the local fire department.

 

[TransportJockey]

The service I used to work for left all that to the FDs, as that is the reason they even showed up on scene. (lazy vollies who wouldn't show unless it was something that sounded cool) And that was only in the 3 counties they ran 911. In ABQ itself where they ran IFT, we had a CCT truck w/ RN and medic

 

[trevor1189]

All the services around here are FD based. So yes, someone in the area does all of the above. Mutual Aid is our friend! lol

 

[EMTinNEPA]

All the services around here are FD based.

Sorry to hear that.

 

[trevor1189]

Sorry to hear that.

Yeah sometimes I wish there were EMS only services, but if you need an extrication or something like the firefighters doing it are like your brothers. Everyone gets what they need to get done.

 

[BLSBoy]

Lead agency in the Southern Region for NJ EMS Task Force. MCI, rehab, Tactical Medics, bike team (ALS/BLS)

As far as MCI is concerned, we have dedicated and specialized vehicles and equipment JUST for MCIs. Technically, everyone "does" MCI. We make it a point to do it right.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

We do all of them. My service is run by the Sheriff, so does that count as independant? Our "Team Rescue" does extrication, wilderness SAR, high-angle and confined space rescue, you name it.

 

[firemedic7982]

The Houston / Harris County area is blessed. We have a mutitude of different agencies, all that have specialized capabilities.

The agency that I work for has the following:

- ALS BLS 1st responders ( off duty employees with full protocols and equip)
-Bike Medic Response Team
- Disaster Response Team
- Advanced Tactical Team