Integrating Emergency Medical Services in the Fire Department
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University of Tennessee, Knoxville TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange MTAS Publications: Full Publications Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) 4-2007 Integrating Emergency Medical Services in the Fire Department Gary West Municipal Technical Advisory Service Follow this and additional works at: https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_mtaspubs Part of the Public Administration Commons The MTAS publications provided on this website are archival documents intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as authoritative. The content contained in these publications may be outdated, and the laws referenced therein may have changed or may not be applicable to your city or circumstances. For current information, please visit the MTAS website at: mtas.tennessee.edu. Recommended Citation West, Gary, "Integrating Emergency Medical Services in the Fire Department" (2007). MTAS Publications: Full Publications. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_mtaspubs/84 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) at TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. It has been accepted for inclusion in MTAS Publications: Full Publications by an authorized administrator of TRACE: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire/EMS First Responders: It’s just a matter of time Gary L. West, Fire Management Consultant April 2007 INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire/EMS First Responders: It’s just a matter of time Gary L. West, Fire Management Consultant This publication was written with the assistance and editing of Richard F. Land, Tennessee Department of Health, Bureau of Health Licensure and Regulation, Division of Emergency Medical Services, Nashville, Tennessee. 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MTAS offers assistance in areas such as accounting and finance, administration and personnel, fire, public works, TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction............................................................ 1 What.Is.a.Medical.First.Responder.Program?................. 1 Advantages.and.Disadvantages. of.Integrating.Fire/EMS.Services................................. 2 Levels.and.Types.of.EMS.Services................................ 2 Tennessee.First.Responder.Program.Rules. and.Regulations....................................................... 3 The.Memorandum.of.Understanding.(MOU). or.Agreement.of.Coordination..................................... 4 Insurance.and.Liability.............................................. 5 Cooperation.with.Local.911.Dispatch.Center................. 5 Equipment.and.Supplies............................................. 6 Audits.and.Recertification.......................................... 7 First.Responder.Training............................................ 7 Criminal.Background.Checks....................................... 7 Summary................................................................. 7 Sample.Memorandum.of.Understanding.(MOU). or.Agreement.of.Coordination..................................... 9 INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT • MUnicipal Technical Advisory Service i INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT Fire/EMS First Responders: It’s just a matter of time Gary L. West, Fire Management Consultant Introduction In.a.technological.world.where.we.consolidate. For.the.most.part,.fire.departments.of.all.sizes. jobs.to.be.more.productive,.it.only.makes.sense.to. and.types.are.traditional.and.slow.to.provide.any. bring.fire.and.emergency.medical.services.(EMS). new.level.of.service..Many.fire.departments.have. together..Over.the.past.20.years.the.fire.service.has. difficulty.providing.or.maintaining.current.levels. seen.dramatic.changes..Proactive.fire.prevention. of.service..Most.firefighters.are.happy.to.deliver. programs,.better.building.materials,.and.more. present.services.and.wish.they.could.continue. stringent.standards.have.resulted.in.a.steady. responding.only.to.fire-related.calls..This.attitude.. decline.in.fire-related.emergencies..In.an.effort.to. is.not.very.progressive.for.an.industry.where. better.serve.the.public.many.fire.departments.have. response.for.fire.suppression.service.is.significantly. begun.integrating.services..This.comes.from.the. dropping.and.every.position.must.be.justified.. necessity.to.be.more.efficient.with.public.funds. while.maintaining.a.high.level.of.effectiveness..The. What Is a Medical primary.goal.of.fire.chiefs.is.to.be.as.productive.as. First Responder Program? possible.and.provide.services.that.the.public.needs.. A.medical.first.responder.program.is.one.offered.by. an.emergency.response.agency.that.provides.basic. The.first.responder.EMS.concept.is.one.that.many. and.advanced.prehospital.emergency.medical.care. fire.departments.are.exploring,.and.it.seems.to.work. using.a.quick.fire.response.vehicle.or.apparatus.. very.well..After.all,.the.primary.objective.of.the.fire. Providing.such.a.service.to.a.community.can.be. department.is.to.save.lives.and.protect.property.. very.valuable.and.save.many.lives..Traditionally,. Providing.emergency.medical.services.achieves.one- ambulance.services.in.the.United.States.have.been. half.of.this.mission.. held.to.a.goal.of.responding.to.medical.emergencies. within.eight.minutes.for.at.least.90.percent.of. Other.fire.departments.are.expanding.functional. their.calls..Fire.department.standards.require. services.into.specialized.areas..Technical.rescue,. fire.stations.to.be.located.so.as.to.provide.a.six- vehicle.extrication,.swift.water.rescue,.trench.and. minute.response.times.for.fires..This.is.achieved. confined.space.rescue,.and.hazardous.materials. by.locating.fire.stations.every.three.miles..This. response.are.just.a.few..Some.incorporate.these. concept.uses.fire.districts.with.primary.response. services.before.adding.EMS.and.some.after.. resources.within.1.5.miles.of.every.fire.station.. However,.it.should.be.noted.that.the.first.responder. This.standard,.set.by.the.Insurance.Services.Office. EMS.program.is.the.least.expensive.to.implement. (ISO),.achieves.an.excellent.response.time.for.all. and.probably.is.the.most.needed.in.almost.every. types.of.emergencies..This.works.great.for.quick. community..So,.why.isn’t.every.fire.department. response.times.in.providing.emergency.medical. making.this.transition? services.and.is.better.than.most.ambulance.services. INTEGRATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT • MUnicipal Technical Advisory Service 1 can.provide..According.to.data.from.the.American. Advantages and Disadvantages Heart.Association.(AHA),.patients.suffering. of Integrating Fire/EMS Services ventricular.fibrillation,.the.most.common.survivable. There.are.both.advantages.and.disadvantages.. arrhythmia.associated.with.cardiac.arrest,.should. of.offering.the.first.responder.service,.. be.defibrillated.within.five.minutes..According.to. although.it.seems,.in.most.cases,.that.there.. the.AHA,.every.minute.that.defibrillation.is.delayed. are.more.advantages.. reduces.a.patient’s.survival.rate.by.up.to.10.percent.. If.no.treatment,.such.as.CPR,.is.started.before. Advantages: the.five.minute.mark,.survival.is.40.percent.and. 1.. Provides.a.better.and.comprehensive.service.to. declines.rapidly..The.key.factor.for.a.successful.first. the.community; responder.medical.program.is.a.quick.response.time.. 2.. Increases.efficiency.by.providing.both.EMS.and. The.chart.below.shows.the.percent.of.survival.in. fire.services;. cardiac.arrest.victims.in.relation.to.response.time. 3.. Increases.EMS.response.times.in.many.situations. due.to.fire.station.distribution;.. Cardiac SUrvival V. RESPONSE TIME 4.. Increases.work.productivity.of.firefighters.and. call.volume;. 5.. Improves.allocation.of.resources.by.providing. 100 more.services.with.the.same.resources;.and 80 6.. Provides.multiple.resources.and.trained. 60 40 emergency.personnel.at.scenes.