When Is EMS Dispatched For A Working Fire?

[mlfcemt093 0]

Ok here is one for you, and a pet peeve of mine. When does your agency have ems dispatched for a report of a working fire? I recently attended a job, a working 2 car garage fire fully involved on arrival by fd exposures were of course cars a unattached house and snow mobile storage trailer, the chief a very calm guy had 1 company to the scene for an engine or tanker can't remember which another to the scene for fast truck and a stby co in their quarters, I called ems dispatch after 20 mins of fire ops and was told ems was not dispatched until the second alarm. I'm not sure what other apparatus comes on a second for this co but no ems at a fairly large working fire seems like a liability and saftey issue here.?

Ok. so here is the second part to the question, what do u feel the correct ems response is, I believe 2 B.L.S. and 1 A.L.S. 1 bls for M.O.S. 1 for reg people and a paramedic all on scene in my opinion not over kill but u can take care of any thing almost w/this alotment

Now i'm not saying have them dispatched to car fires (although NYC does that) but on scene w/any woking structure should be automatic ems dispatch not "2nd alarm"

[JM15 386]

Here in Somers for any possible or reported structure fire we are dispatched as Full department response. Since we have EMS combined this includes EMS. Occasionally you will hear additional tones for EMS if it doesn't get covered and it is confirmed. I agree with you 2 BLS ambulances and at least 1 medic should be dispatched to any fire. One ambulance for FF and one for civilians.

[foreman1923 22]

In mahopac falls once the fire is confimed we tone out an ambulance and i beleive its putnam 911's protocol to dispatch a medic as well

[eckyphats 0]

in trumbull, ct ems is dispatched any time we go to structure fire protocal, ie a working fire or any incident where it may be a working fire like if we have a smoke condition in the mall or one of the elderly complexes. structure fire protocal automaticaly gets a mutual aid company, an rit comany, ems and the utilities

[CHIEFPHIL 90]

In Bethel Ct, we run EMS as well. Our ambulance is on the run card for all structure fires. Usually the ambulance or ambulances will respond 7-8 in order of dispatch UNLESS there is an immediate need. You would get Engine, Tower[or tanker], Engine , Rescue , Engine, other support units and EMS . With three ambiulances, one usually becomes triage/rehab, one for transport and the third covers the town from the scene or unless otherwise directed. Our ALS regional intercept no longer does fire standby, They must be special called. Some-how that was dropped from the contract.

I should also add that each piece of equipmnet carries a jump kit both engines carry an AED, the rescue carries about as much ems equipment as the ambulances as well as an AED. Each chiefs rig has a jump kit as well as an AED

Edited December 28, 2006 by CHIEFPHIL

[IzzyEng4 427]

All first alarm full assignments get an ambulance in my town.

[ems-buff 81]

In Mamaroneck, Once a confirmed fire is on the air we are tone out... Plus we listen to the scanner anyways and if it sounds like a worker we will be out the door before the tones go off.. No lights or siren untill we are tone out..

Edited December 28, 2006 by ems-buff

[Guest X963toOEM9]

Unfortunately each deptment is different...

I believe you should have...

1 BLS for MOS injuries and rehab

1 BLS for civilians

I wouldn't commit an ALS unit unless there are reports of a burn victim victim with resp. distress... I would have them on scene but available...

[x242Steve 1]

In the Stamford Fire and Rescue Dept, once a working fire is declared a Medic (ALS) is automatically dispatched to the scene along with the RIT.

[Guest]

Unfortunately each deptment is different...

I believe you should have...

1 BLS for MOS injuries and rehab

1 BLS for civilians

I wouldn't commit an ALS unit unless there are reports of a burn victim victim with resp. distress... I would have them on scene but available...

←

Sounds good, except, don't you think that the likelyhood of a serious injury at a fire warrants an ALS unit be committed?

[antiquefirelt 994]

Sounds good, except, don't you think that the likelyhood of a serious injury at a fire warrants an ALS unit be committed?

←

I'm with you on this one. ALS should be onscene if members are working in a truly IDLH environment. The types of injuries and medical issues that hapen at working fires oftern dictate the need for ALS. Smoke Inhalation, cardiac arrest, and major trauma are all very real possiblilites at every working structure fire.

That being said, we run EMS in our area so every call requiring members to put on SCBA gets a ALS bus. The 1st bus runs staffed 24/7. On medical runs two personnel ride out, on fire calls one ALS member drives and the other rides the engine or truck depending on the days staffing. We in fact decided to send an ambulance with our mutual aid assignments to those towns who do not get and ALS ambo on working fires. This assures our crew that they'll have the best possible chance of survival in the event of an serious injury or medical issue.

[Monty 35]

Afraid we're still a bit behind on this one ....

It was brought up recently at an officers meeting about having EMS dispatched on a working fire (10-75) report but we were told that EMS is usually listening to the scanner and will show up anyway And if needed, are quick to respond.

[vodoly 535]

On a confirmed working fire here in Englewood Cliffs NJ The Police desk(FD /Ambo dispatcher also )will ask Command if he want a rig for stand by If so it's usually a general alarm for both ambos Btw the Medic unit's in our area sometimes in service "buff the calls" When i lived in Ridgefield NJ the Ambo would be toned out about 1 minute after a stucture fire call would come in

[Remember585 815]

Many FDs in Westchester have an automatic EMS dispatch on the confirmation of a working fire. Others don't (yet) and in most cases 60 Control will send EMS to stand-by as a precaution. Sometimes a fire scene is busy and distracting to the IC and things like EMS and rehab get overlooked. That's why it is a good idea to get EMS built into your response plans. (IMHO)

In our FD we also run EMS. We send one ambulance to the scene of a structure fire, and once the IC transmits the "All-hands" (or whatever it is called now) to 60 Control, an additional BLS rig and Medic are dispatched to standby. In addition, an ALS rig is put on standby for additional calls in district as long as it is available.

Two rigs is the best way to do it, having one committed for rehab / personnel monitoring and one ready to transport as needed. Commit the Medic - our safety and welfare is our #1 priority.

[x129K 1,393]

Sounds good, except, don't you think that the likelyhood of a serious injury at a fire warrants an ALS unit be committed?

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ALS is good to have on a scene.

I always added our ALS provider onto the alarm assignment for any fire I ran - with thoughts of the members on scene.

God forbid someone went into cardiac arrest on the fireground, I wanted the best chance of reviving them, and that meant a medic on standby at the scene.