How do you receive calls??

[redcrossemt]

Save Money?

Yes, truck maintenance costs are lower, but overall costs higher.

Station-based EMS is typically based on 24-hour shifts, so more overtime. You also have to pay for buildings, the upkeep on such, utilities, etc. We also have to license each of our stations as a biohazardous waste producing site, as well as other things like having oxygen refilled there, fuel arrangements, etc. With SSM, you do all of these things in a central place and therefore save money, although the largest cost is probably real estate...

 

[EmtTravis]

we do have a station house as do the other 2 services in town. Its just during the day we have to be out driving around or posted somewhere. We go back to the station to chill at 7pm and our day truck stays out. We have 24/48 hr crews but we also have a day truck that runs from 10am to 10pm. After the day crew quits at 10pm we send a truck out for 2 hours then they come back and another one goes out and so on and so forth and then at 7am we do it all over again. So I don't see how they would be saving money since we do still have a station that we have to have the biohazard and fueling arrangements and everything. Like I said it just intrigued me.

 

[WolfmanHarris]

We have 19 stations around the region (with 6 more coming over the next 5 yrs) We deploy from a station, but as busier stations are depleted our deployment plan moves trucks to cover these higher priority areas. Only when we get so busy that we drop below a certain number of trucks to we begin to post on street corners. This is rare though; I've done it on 3 shifts in the last year and never for more than an hour or two.

 

[Jon]

...Only when we get so busy that we drop below a certain number of trucks to we begin to post on street corners. This is rare though; I've done it on 3 shifts in the last year and never for more than an hour or two.

This makes sense... it's almost more of a relocate than straight SSM. We even do that out in the county - when the rural company to the south gets hammered, they will ask us to relocate to the Township Building that is just inside their territory, about halfway between our stations... that way, we can clear and come back to our territory to cover 2nd calls (we have another crew or 2 on station), and still be 8-10 minutes closer to their calls.

 

[WolfmanHarris]

Make that 4 in the last year. I must have jinxed myself, we're headed to a corner to post at the moment. Region's getting hammered hard for a Monday morning.

 

[KillTank]

here's what they do at my company:
step one: The call comes into the station, they take the information.
step two: Dispatch consults the Magic Eight Ball to select crew.
step three: Crew is given call, profane language ensues...

The profane language depends on call volume and time of day/night

 

[KillTank]

We have 6 stations in county and 1 is joined with a volunteer fire department. We are allowed to stay at the station or roam the county (as long as we stay in our jurisdiction). Our trucks have radios but when we are in the station we have 3 ways of getting contacted for a call. Station phone, Company phone, Or County 911 pager. I love the Pager, there is nothing that wakes you up quicker than seeing "cpr in progress" or "multiple car mva/rollover".

 

[JPINFV]

Station-based EMS is typically based on 24-hour shifts, so more overtime. You also have to pay for buildings, the upkeep on such, utilities, etc.

That's one strategy that I've always found smart with So. Cal. ambulance companies. A lot of companies in So. Cal. base their 24 hour units out of motels. Granted, the units are within range of a central base if they need to unload anything or restock, but I imagine that the deal on a motel room (I'm 99.99% sure that no company is paying full price. Guaranteed rental 365 days a year is worth a discount) is cheaper than furnishings, upkeep, water, electric, etc.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Thankfully, I work in an area where we have stations and nobody even thinks about System Sadism Management.