Re: number of ambulances in fire stations
Posted by:
your tax dollars
()
Date: August 18, 2018 07:43AM
penobscot bay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> thank you for your well-informed post. learned
> something from you.
>
> Question: suppose someone who lives near the
> free-standing emergency center on Route 123
> between the Fairfax County Courthouse and GMU is
> having a life-threatening medical emergency.
>
> Would a Fire Dept ambulance take them there, or
> invest half an hour into taking them to the (Level
> I Trauma Center) at Inova Fairfax?
>
> Thank you.
>
> local ff Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > To clarify this ^^^^^^ a bit more and explain
> > BLS/ALS to those here that aren't familiar with
> > those terms.
> >
> > An EMT performs basic pre hospital care.
> >
> > A (para) medic does all of that, plus
> administers
> > IV medications and has a number of more
> advanced
> > skills.
> >
> > When you see two ambulances, one is an
> ambulance
> > (with EMTs) and the other is a medic unit (with
> > medics). The units are generally
> interchangeable
> > and look the same.
> >
> > Fairfax runs pretty much medic units only.
> It's
> > good and bad for a number of reasons. It's
> great
> > to have very qualified people there all the
> time
> > in case you are circling the bowl and need
> actual
> > help from dying. It's bad because a significant
> > percentage of calls are BS and people that
> "don't
> > feel good" - are on 30 different meds - and
> just
> > wanted a free ride to the ER where they get
> free
> > treatment.
> >
> > Other jurisdictions run more ambulances and
> send
> > EMTs out on these minor runs while saving the
> > medics for serious shit. Everyone on a fire
> > engine is also an EMT.
They would be taken to the nearest facility that has the capability to treat/diagnose that which could POTENTIALLY be wrong with the patient based on signs/symptoms presented.
For example, with chest pain and indications of an arrhythmia, the facility would need a cath lab at a minimum. In cases where closed head injuries are suspected - full MRI/CT scan capabilities. The smaller facilities are a good place to take simple broken bones, minor injuries or other sicknesses/trauma that aren't immediately life threatening and present with a limited scope. This helps keep the pressure off the level 1 centers as their waiting rooms are often full of third world folks with a tummy ache.