Ambulance Response To Highway Medical Calls

[huzzie59 75]

Other than rollovers/extrication calls, what is the normal responce to highways on medical calls. Ambulance, medic, engine, ladder?

I'm looking at the crew safety aspect.

[kfire94 3]

In Putnam Valley any medical call on the Taconic State Parkway our pumper/rescue is dual dispatched for trafic control (ambulance safty).

[NWFDMedic 58]

In Orange County, unless the fire district you happen to be in responds to medical calls, it will be you and your ambulance. I've been roadside many times with patients while traffic whizzed by at 80 mph. I would imagine if the incident is reported to be in the lane of traffic, county would send the fire department.

[DaRock98 76]

To me it doesn't really make sense on mva's we go dual response so we will have 2 engines and a rescue on the parkway but on ems calls it's only the ambulance that rolls.

[EJS1810 7]

In Putnam County we dispatch both fire & EMS to all limited access highway incidents. As Kfire94 said PVFD is dispatched to all incidents on the TSP in Putnam Valley. On the TSP in Kent we dual dispatch Kent FD and East Fishkill FD (through Dutchess 911). I-684 gets Brewster fire for all calls. On I-84 it is either Brewster Fire, Patterson & Lake Carmel, or Lake Carmel Fire only depending on where on the Highway it is.

I know that the Thruway Authority pays BFD, PFD, & LCFD for thier response on the highway

Edited March 12, 2008 by EJS1810

[irishfire2491 24]

In Cortlandt VAC We cover 9A and Route 9 and we have State Police, Montrose Fire with poss 2 Engines and 1 Rescue and 1-2 ambulance, before any of the EMS crew get out of the ambulance they must have a Reflective type of vest or jacket on to be seen.

[ny10570 745]

If I'm lucky we'll get a help truck or RMP in the 5 boroughs. Unless its a wreck there is no way I'm getting FD.

[Guest]

In Middlebury, CT., we cover a few miles of I-84, both EMS & Fire. Whenever the ambulance goes out on the highway, we always send an engine up with them for traffic control, parking the engine behind the car as a blocking mechanism/additional light show, for all the good those lights do. Anyone who does work on an Interstate knows that no one cares about the lights, etc.

[JJB531 652]

If I'm lucky we'll get a help truck or RMP in the 5 boroughs. Unless its a wreck there is no way I'm getting FD.

Really? The other day I requested a bus to the RAMP of the Major Deegan for a lady with chest pain (which was nonsense, she just didn't want to get a summons) and got two ambulances, a ladder truck, 2 engines, and a chiefs car. I actually raised up central to see how she sent the job to EMS, and she told me "that's what FD sends to jobs on the highway".

[ny10570 745]

The chest pain, depending on how it makes it through the game of telephone you could conceivably get ALS, BLS, and a CFR engine. Unless it went into the system as a Trauma I can't for the life of me figure why you got the the truck and 2 engines. Maybe one or esteemed FDNY dispatchers can answer this. I'll call for FD for a wash down on the highway if I need someone to block and get an engine and a ladder. Occasionally get some complaining too, but so be it. For medical calls I have never gotten FD assigned.

[Engfire 0]

Here in my neck of the woods we cover a few miles of I70 policy is just the district medic, and the crew is to load the Pt asap and go to the first exit if you want to stop and do anything, sometimes you will get the State's FIRST team, which is much like the help trucks you guys have.

[Guest]

just did one today. most of our calls like this are in the sprain, usually we get cancelled en route bc the pt's realize wmc is only a mile away! sometimes they are unfounded and we assume they just drove to wmc. if they're really not feeling well, it's probably best for them to just pull over and wait for us.

[Guest]

In Stony Hill, it is a S.O.G. to roll our rescue truck to all highway calls as a blocker it is equipped with vests and cones

[Guest]

just did one today. most of our calls like this are in the sprain, usually we get cancelled en route bc the pt's realize wmc is only a mile away! sometimes they are unfounded and we assume they just drove to wmc. if they're really not feeling well, it's probably best for them to just pull over and wait for us.

to add on to my own comment, the call today came into us as sprain and route 100c...turns out the pt was in yonkers...i guess thats another issue!

[jcoppola 52]

Norwalk CT covers I-95 from Westport Exit 17 to Darien Exit 13, and beyond when needed. We cover the Merritt Pkwy (Rte 15) from Exit 41 in Westport to Exit 38 New Canaan and the Rte 7 connector. All motor vehicle accidents get the Rescue, the closest engine, and the command car with Norwalk Hospital Paramedics. Due to long responses to the Merritt, E1 (Silvermine/New Canaan Ave.) has a full hurst tool compliment and cribbing, basically enough to get started on an extrication. E2 and E3 cover 95 depending on the location and E1, E2 & E3 cover the connector depending on the location and direction. Car fires and EMS calls (non-MVA) get the nearest engine and the command car for protection and lighting.

JVC

[OoO 24]

In my corps, the fire department is not automatically dispatched to medical calls on the highway. Although I am sure they would be glad to assist if requested, we would only be able to request the FD once in the ambulance. Thus, we would have to significantly delay our response, which makes this unfeasible.

[JBE 328]

If I'm lucky we'll get a help truck or RMP in the 5 boroughs. Unless its a wreck there is no way I'm getting FD.

That's a negative, pal.

Really? The other day I requested a bus to the RAMP of the Major Deegan for a lady with chest pain (which was nonsense, she just didn't want to get a summons) and got two ambulances, a ladder truck, 2 engines, and a chiefs car. I actually raised up central to see how she sent the job to EMS, and she told me "that's what FD sends to jobs on the highway".

Anything on the highway gets 2, 2, and a chief. Any reported EMS incident gets the same. It all depends on how EMS codes it. MVAINJ we don't get, (which is also nonsense, but I don't make policy) anything else that falls under CFR protocols is turned out.

Edited March 13, 2008 by JBE

[JJB531 652]

Anything on the highway gets 2, 2, and a chief. Any reported EMS incident gets the same. It all depends on how EMS codes it. MVAINJ we don't get, (which is also nonsense, but I don't make policy) anything else that falls under CFR protocols is turned out.

I kinda figured that was the case... My partner and I were a bit suprised though when we saw all the apparatus coming from all different directions!

[x648eng119 2]

In Croton, it's ambulance only, and hopefully a PD car is there. Same thing with Mamaroneck.

When I worked in New Rochelle, however, an I-95 job, plain old medical, or MVA got 2 engines, rescue, d.c. and ambulance. Usually all but one engine was cancelled, but it was nice to know the support was there if needed.

[5slow 9]

I remember there was a previous post relating to this. And I'll say it again, nothing beats an engine or a ladder truck stretched across a couple of lanes. There's been times where I've asked them to open a lane so we could get traffic moving, but for the most part, I don't mess with them. And, I've also never had a problem having FD respond to anything on the Deegan. Especially in the north Bronx. They usually stay until we're ready to open things up without question!

[ny10570 745]

That's a negative, pal.

Anything on the highway gets 2, 2, and a chief. Any reported EMS incident gets the same. It all depends on how EMS codes it. MVAINJ we don't get, (which is also nonsense, but I don't make policy) anything else that falls under CFR protocols is turned out.

Sorry, I wasn't clear before. FD is more than willing to respond. I can't get my dispatchers to send the message over to Fire. EMS still doesn't understand that highways are dangerous.

Edited March 15, 2008 by ny10570

[Guest]

In Stony Hill we send a rescue for traffic control along with the bus

[DaRock98 76]

Question for people lilke me who only get a bus on the parkway for aided calls. Do any of you request an engine out to the parkway for traffic control or do you just load and go?

[Guest]

Question for people lilke me who only get a bus on the parkway for aided calls. Do any of you request an engine out to the parkway for traffic control or do you just load and go?

my vac's district falls in 2 hamlets of 2 seperate towns. one of the fd's goes on EVERY ems call..it's GREAT. the other fd only goes on mva's and only on the parkways...not even the major town roads unless someone requests them and they have left before the the ambulance leaves anyways, which isn't right.

[VAEMC 10]

In Cortlandt VAC We cover 9A and Route 9 and we have State Police, Montrose Fire with poss 2 Engines and 1 Rescue and 1-2 ambulance, before any of the EMS crew get out of the ambulance they must have a Reflective type of vest or jacket on to be seen.

Really? Was not aware that MFD response to 9 / 9A for EMS calls. Extrication yes, but EMS ??

[Oswegowind 17]

No FD on the highway in Montrose on plain EMS calls unless there is a new policy in place...usually a trooper or 27C (West. Cnty.)

In Yonkers (The City of Gracious Living?), We send 2 engines with EMS on all medical type calls on highway, hence the code 10-45HW.....MVA's on HW get 2 engines, 1 ladders, rescue or squad, safety battalion, and respective battalion chief.

[irishfire2491 24]

Really? Was not aware that MFD response to 9 / 9A for EMS calls. Extrication yes, but EMS ??

O SORRY MR. LT Is was Leaning more towards MVA's not regular EMS calls MY BAD. Unless you guys are really that bored and really want to come out and play (Does not Bother ME one bit) but if the EMS crew does not feel safe I would always call the FD to shut down traffic if needed (So Keep Your PAGERS ON). But as for 9A Buchanan will send a Rescue truck to ALL EMS calls between the hours of 7am and 7pm during the week

Edited March 17, 2008 by irishfire2491

[DaRock98 76]

my vac's district falls in 2 hamlets of 2 separate towns. one of the fd's goes on EVERY ems call..it's GREAT. the other fd only goes on mva's and only on the parkways...not even the major town roads unless someone requests them and they have left before the the ambulance leaves anyways, which isn't right.

Getting FD on every EMS call must be nice I would love to have a rig on every EMS call but unfortunately my town doesn't do that. My dept. sends 1 engine to EVERY MVA we get regardless if PD requests it or not. Our engine NEVER clears before the ambulance starts it's transport we use it as protection on any road way but yet we don't send it out on the parkway for an aided call!?!?! Doesn't make much sense to me!

[JJB531 652]

Getting FD on every EMS call must be nice I would love to have a rig on every EMS call but unfortunately my town doesn't do that. My dept. sends 1 engine to EVERY MVA we get regardless if PD requests it or not. Our engine NEVER clears before the ambulance starts it's transport we use it as protection on any road way but yet we don't send it out on the parkway for an aided call!?!?! Doesn't make much sense to me!

I'm not a big fan of the Engine on every EMS call. Sometimes it's nice having the extra hands when needed, and it's also good when the Engine showing up has EMT's on it so they can at least stop the clock and start patient care before EMS arrives. Most of the times though it's just more people to get in the way, especially when they have absolutely no idea what to do.

[Guest]

For all limited access roadway(highway) calls we send two engines and the ambulance(if medical related). This is done regardless of the nature to protect our crews so we have an apparatus that can operate effeciently and one apparatus to block the traffic from the crews operating on scene.

I'm not a big fan of the Engine on every EMS call. Sometimes it's nice having the extra hands when needed, and it's also good when the Engine showing up has EMT's on it so they can at least stop the clock and start patient care before EMS arrives. Most of the times though it's just more people to get in the way, especially when they have absolutely no idea what to do.

As far as the FD on every call, our town sends the FD on all resuscitative medicals(ie diff breathers, cardiacs, strokes, LOCs, etc.) We do not run on psychs, drunks, sick calls, or minor falls. Our dispatch center has a list of calls we are to respond to and they follow EMD protocols to determine what we respond to. It isnt a flawless system but what system is. It works quite well and leaves the FD free for the more serious calls.

Edited April 1, 2008 by bhansensfd