Obviously aside from major car accidents and stuff like that. I ask because on my clinicals (I'm finishing up EMT school) we were required to do two at two FDs. The ones I went to didn't have the ambulance at the station, so I only got to ride in the trucks. Anyway... Most of the calls they got while I was there were minor, mostly falls. Almost all the runs I went on with them medstar or whoever was already on scene and the medics were already taken care of the patient. When we got there first though we asked questions, and did everything needed then they should up and transported. But it seemed like most of the calls I went on which was only about 10 we really weren't needed, medstar had it under control. Is that just dispatch or what? I know car accidents and stuff like that everyone is helping out but unfortunately they didn't get any exciting calls like that while I was there.
How much do firefighter medics actually do on the scene
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ghost02
CA Flight Paramedic
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Depending on system.
Where I am, with all basic fire for the majority of calls, if they arrive first, they get a good basic assessment and a set of vitals. For critical patients, they do cpr and help with the manouvering and movement of the patient.
Where I am, with all basic fire for the majority of calls, if they arrive first, they get a good basic assessment and a set of vitals. For critical patients, they do cpr and help with the manouvering and movement of the patient.
WildlandEMT89
Forum Lieutenant
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Here fire runs all als apparatus (2 medics and 2 emts)and responds code 3 to most calls with the option to downgrade while we respond code 2 for calls of a non time sensitive or manpower heavy nature, meaning they beat us on scene by a short amount most times. Fire will most likely be obtaining all the initial set of vitals an we jump into the mix when arriving in scene. After onscene care is rendered 99% of the time care is transferred to us and we transport solo, unless extra hands are needed for something like working a code.
On the note of running pretty basic calls, that's just the nature of modern EMS. I work in a pretty high volume urban area and still we mostly run difficulty breathing, fall, diabetic issue, and people who generally just don't feel well and think an ambulance ride will get them seen faster at the ED.
Major trauma is a rare occurrence in civilian EMS, even a large percentage MVAs are non injury and we won't render much care outside of vitals if the pt refuses transport.
Not trying to bum you out on what you may be getting into, just trying to give you a heads up that I wasn't given in my emt training about what the job actually entails. This could be totally different in other systems though.
That being said, welcome to one of the most rewarding career fields! Best of luck in your training bud!
On the note of running pretty basic calls, that's just the nature of modern EMS. I work in a pretty high volume urban area and still we mostly run difficulty breathing, fall, diabetic issue, and people who generally just don't feel well and think an ambulance ride will get them seen faster at the ED.
Major trauma is a rare occurrence in civilian EMS, even a large percentage MVAs are non injury and we won't render much care outside of vitals if the pt refuses transport.
Not trying to bum you out on what you may be getting into, just trying to give you a heads up that I wasn't given in my emt training about what the job actually entails. This could be totally different in other systems though.
That being said, welcome to one of the most rewarding career fields! Best of luck in your training bud!
escapedcaliFF
Forum Lieutenant
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Like already has been said dependable on system. Fire might run ALS engines or BLS engines. When I was working for Fire our medic firefighter would do the basic assement and vitals. If it wasn't life threatening he would burn time until ambulance showed. Once ALS ambulance was there he went hands off 99 percent of the time and focused on loading up his gear on the engine. My engine medic always felt we fought fire first and medical was second. He was a great medic so don't misunderstand he just felt as a lot of us did that sending a $500k engine to a non life threatening medical call was a waste of money.
Thanks for the replys. I guess what I meant was what's the point of having 6 people on a basic call like patient fell and can't get up. You know? They had 3 firefighters/medics and me on the engine, don't know if they always run with 4 or just threw me on because I was a student, but just seemed kind of unnecessary to me to have 5 or 6 people for something 2 can handle.
The first run I went on with them was for patient fell in his home and can't get up. Medstar was already on scene when we arrived so at one point there's 6 of us in the house standing over a guy on the floor, while medstar was helping him up and vitals and all that all I did and other guys was help with the stretcher, move furniture, etc. basically what you all stated. That's why I asked, and I do plan to work for a FD one day.
The first run I went on with them was for patient fell in his home and can't get up. Medstar was already on scene when we arrived so at one point there's 6 of us in the house standing over a guy on the floor, while medstar was helping him up and vitals and all that all I did and other guys was help with the stretcher, move furniture, etc. basically what you all stated. That's why I asked, and I do plan to work for a FD one day.
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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On most calls having 6 people on scene is a little extreme, however on the critical calls it is very nice having extra hands on scene. I can do a full assessment while I delegate out other parts of the assessments, treatments, documentation, and getting the gurney ready.
escapedcaliFF
Forum Lieutenant
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A lot of it too is dispatch might not getting the full picture of what is really going on and people overstate the nature of the emergency. Plenty of times we got cancelled in route. Really a bumer if your in the middle of shower and get called out cAuse for a BS medical.
escapedcaliFF
Forum Lieutenant
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If you want to get into fire my best advice is go to a smaller department or a rural one. You'll enjoy it much more. I enjoyed working for a rural department way more than an urban one cause of the variety of calls. Plus standard of living in my opinion is much higher. Turn over tends to be higher cause everyone wants to go to the big departments in the urban areas so chance of advancement is higher.
Uclabruin103
Forum Lieutenant
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At my department it's whomever is on scene first is in charge and everyone assists. Even with the private company that we run with. It's their show if on scene first and vice versa. And medics might not actually be the ones doing many hands on skills. We are lucky enough to have five on scene in all calls, so codes are run efficiently. If I'm leading it, I won't even touch the patient other than checking my ABCs.
As for having everyone there on basic calls is just the way it is with us. It's nice when dispatch doesn't get the best info and the headache turns into an arrest, but those are rare. And it's really nice when we find out the patient is 600 pounds.
As for having everyone there on basic calls is just the way it is with us. It's nice when dispatch doesn't get the best info and the headache turns into an arrest, but those are rare. And it's really nice when we find out the patient is 600 pounds.
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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Depends on where you are.
In my current service fire is staffed with first responders and EMTs. They do vehicle extrication, CPR and carry my stuff.
In my current service fire is staffed with first responders and EMTs. They do vehicle extrication, CPR and carry my stuff.