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Integrated Departments
Are there alot of Integrated or Dual departments out there ? I know in Alberta, Canada there are only about 4-5 and they are in smaller cities. It doesn't seem to be the norm in Canada how about in the USA ? or Europe ?
And your thoughts on the benefit to Integrated or Non Integrated Departments
And your thoughts on the benefit to Integrated or Non Integrated Departments
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Are you talking like combination depts with both career staff and volunteers? If so, yes, they are quite common in the states.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Hatfield on
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Yes when I say Integrated I mean that Both EMS and Fire are provided by the same department and staff that are trained in both. Where I work I do both EMS calls that involve transporting to the Hospital and Fire calls such as MVC's, Structural Fires/Alarms, Industrial, Rope Rescue, Water Rescue, and Wildland
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I mean that Both EMS and Fire are provided by the same department and staff that are trained in both
Quite common in the states.
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I know that Las Vegas has a similar set up but they dont have to transport to the Hospital there is a private service that does that ... It sounds like a sweet system, I hate Hospital wait times
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Ya most of the Big city departments I am familiar with send a Engine to EMS calls, mainly cause the Fire Department can get to the location quicker (Due to more FireHalls then EMS Halls)
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There are a couple depts that operate like that as well, with a private EMS doing transports, not as common as depts doing both, but there are some. I understand Aurora, CO is like that as well.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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As has already been mentioned, Fire and Ambulance are not combined here in Australia. Fire can also do medical 1st response, but are not paramedics. From all I've read (and discussed online with people there) the two functions are separate in the UK as well. Fire is Fire and Ambulance is Ambulance.
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Permalink Reply by Willie Bermingham on
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I'm a member of Dublin Fire Brigade here in Ireland. We operate a combined service covering all aspects of fire rescue and ems. SRT , high angle, marine firefighting, hazmat, really anything you need. DFB has been providing ambulance cover for over 100 years and year to date responded to 56000 ambulance calls with a fleet of 12.
All operational staff are trained to paramedic level and rotate daily through all duties although there is some specialisation (marine firefighting and tunnel firefighting to name but two). Tonight I'm on the ambulance and my next I will be on the fire engine. It gives a seamless service and top notch level of care to all our patients. When the fire engine lands at a road traffic accident the crew can all assess fully the casualties and give an accurate status to the officer in charge. The arriving ambulances will always therefore be first utilised not in triage but in removal of the highest priority patients first . At a mass casualty incident there are now 5 paramedics per truck to be used
There have also been cases where an ambulance will arrive at a fire call first and rescues executed to great effect. Many lives have been saved by having a dual role. Its handy too for cover at dinner time. Anyone can jump on to the ambulance and go.
If given the choice to take either one or both I would always stay with both. It gives us as firefighters and paramedics a chance to keep fresh and interested because there is so much to do. Without the ambulance I know my paramedic skills would not be of any use.
Integrated is the way to go forward!
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