They always send fire trucks along with ambulances even if there’s no report of fire. Seems like a waste of resources.
I wonder if they’ll give him the red pill or the blue pill?
Volunteer fire department.
‘They always send fire trucks along with ambulances even if there’s no report of fire. Seems like a waste of resources.’
I think the firefighters are there to break down the doors in case entrance to the facility proves difficult. Not sure about that, but it sounds good...
They're sent for manpower assistance. There are many times when I ran rescue in Virginia that we needed the assistance of firefighters to carry a person up or down stairs, etc.
In certain cities the ambulances are much busier than the fire trucks so they send them first to assist.
“Seems like a waste of resources.”
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It IS, in the vast majority of cases.
But, prepare for incoming.....
It’s so that if the guy/girl/man/women as a fatso they can get him/her/it out and into the meat wagon.
Maybe he used too much kerosene and burlap on the Cross last night.
Sometimes it is, but if you need equipment on the engine to extricate someone, remove a fixed object impaling them so they can be transported with the object in place until medical personnel can remove it in the hospital, etc, you want the equipment there right away. The delay can be the difference between life and death.
People who call 9-1-1 aren't always completely accurate nor comprehensive in their description of the situation.
There are several reasons for sending fire units.
First, many paramedic units are staffed at BLS levels and require a driver from a different unit if they need to make an Advanced Life Support transport.
Second, fire department resources may be closer, so they can get first responders on scene more quickly. Most fire departments require all firefighter to be at least EMTs, and many departments are all paramedic.
I don’t know the protocol in the area, but in Milwaukee, the fire department is dispatched to provide EMS care, then a private ambulance is called for transport unless the patient needs advanced life support transport. This is a common protocol in larger cities.
Finally, in many cases (not this one), when a person has fallen, the fire department will be needed to force entry into the house.
It was just in case Sheets got the cross lit before they arrived.
“They always send fire trucks along with ambulances even if there’s no report of fire. Seems like a waste of resources.”
There are two people on an ambulance. As a rule, sick people and particularly those who who fall, are overweight. Many times they are morbidly obese.
We send the extra resources for lift assistance and it really helps to have some extra folks if you are running a full code (CPR) There is a lot of stuff to do in the first few minutes that directly impacts survivability.
That being said, the multiple ambulances and trucks bit confuses me on a fall.
I live with constant mild back pain from lifting large patients over 22 yrs.
The firemen in our area are EMTs. First responders. The ambulance may only have personnel capable of transport to the hospital. Some ambulances come with paramedics. It is also common to dispatch a police officer ahead of the fire/ambulance crew in cases where the need for the call is a consequence of physical violence inflicted on the victim. The perpetrator of the violent act may still be on scene and a hazard to the responding medical personnel.
especially in this case...
Maybe there was a burning cross that needed to be put out.
Seriously, though...some departments send a truck in case extra manpower is needed. My Dad drove Engine 3 for the Portland, Maine FD, and he once had to help carry a 400 pound woman down 5 flights of stairs in a Stokes stretcher.
Here in Georgia, at least in my county, they send cops, ambulence, fire etc for any emergency call.
I’ve always imagined that while they’re all standing around deciding what to do for the cat stuck up your tree, the other side of town could be being pillaged and burned to the ground.
My fire department does not do medical calls, however many do.
Generally the fire department is quicker to get to the scene with their paramedics and/or EMT’s in my area as each village has a fire department but not their own ambulances, therefore they will assess and/or stabilize the patient while awaiting the ambulance to arrive.
BTW the other reasons mentioned on this thread are also valid reasons for the FD and ambulance to be dispatched to the same call...
“They always send fire trucks along with ambulances even if there’s no report of fire. Seems like a waste of resources.”
It depends on the area. If the fire department doesn’t have dedicated paramedic squads, an engine or truck company would be dispatched until the contract ambulance service arrives.
Here in Montgomery, they have paramedic squads, but there isn’t enough to cover the entire city, so some engine companies pull double duty.