The fire service has been closely linked with emergency medical services for more than 50 years. When one of the Falcon Fire Protection Districtís fire engines or quick-response vehicles arrives at the scene of a medical emergency, however, people still occasionally ask firefighters, ìWhy are you guys here? I called for an ambulance.îThat question is becoming less common as more people learn that modern firefighters are trained and well-equipped to deal with medical emergencies. Nationally, emergency medical calls accounted for more than 68 percent of all fire department responses in 2013, according to the National Fire Protection Association. In 2013, about 63 percent of FFPDís incidents were EMS calls; in 2015, that number increased to nearly 70 percent. EMS is just one of the many services provided by FFPD, but it plays a large role in the efforts of modern firefighters.A brief history of EMS in the fire serviceMany fire departments use as their mission statement a variant on protecting and saving lives and property. A 2007 white paper titled ìPrehospital 9-1-1 Emergency Medical Response: The Role of the United States Fire Service in Delivery and Coordinationî commented on the ever-changing role of firefighters. ìThe fire service has continually adapted and changed to meet the current needs of a community.î In urban areas, fire stations were already strategically located, allowing firefighters to respond quickly to emergencies. Adding EMS to traditional fire service duties seemed to be a natural fit.The white paper joins other sources in citing the 1960s as the decade when the partnership between emergency medicine and the fire service was cemented. EMS in the fire service went Hollywood in 1972, when the TV series ìEmergency!î debuted. The show highlighted the Los Angeles County Fire Departmentís relatively new paramedic program, in which specially trained firefighters provided advanced medical care to patients outside of a hospital setting.As medical techniques and technology advanced, so did the growing field of EMS. According to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians website (http://nremt.org), in 2011, there were more than 826,000 licensed and credentialed EMS personnel in the U.S. The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians website (http://naemt.org) states that fire departments with cross-trained EMS personnel comprise 40 percent of the emergency medical systems in this country.EMS in FalconWhen the Falcon Volunteer Fire Department was formed in 1975, firefighting was the primary responsibility. Over time, members received Advanced First Aid training, and some went on to become certified emergency medical technicians. Today, Falcon firefighters are required to maintain EMT certifications. Most are certified at the EMT-basic level, which means they can perform basic life support procedures, including giving oxygen, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and using automated external defibrillators, and assisting with childbirth. Falcon currently has two personnel certified to provide advanced life support, which includes advanced medical procedures such as intubation, interpreting cardiac rhythms, administering certain medications and more.An American Medical Response ambulance is housed at FFPD Station 1, near the intersection of Stapleton Road and Meridian Ranch Boulevard. The unit is staffed with an AMR EMT and paramedic, who provide basic and advanced life support medical care, as well as emergency transport services. This ambulance serves eastern El Paso County, in addition to the Falcon area. When it is unavailable, another AMR ambulance is dispatched, usually from Colorado Springs.When someone calls 911 for a medical emergency, FFPD and AMR personnel are dispatched simultaneously, and often arrive in close proximity. The crews work together as a team to treat and stabilize the patient. AMR handles patient transport needs, but on critical calls such as a cardiac arrest or a patient with serious injuries, a firefighter might ride with them to assist with patient care. Regardless of the situation, the highest priority for all EMS providers is quality patient care.
