[Annie01]

can someone explain to me why the fire truck follows the emt trucks for an emergency call??? NO FIRE..maybe a heart attack etc...of what use is a fire truck??? seems llike aot of wasted gas and time for them to follow every call...anyone know why?????
i would think the emt truck has everything they need.....just wondering !!!

[champion6]

It's Standard Operating Procedure here.

You may have seen the fire truck following the EMT truck, but in most instances, the fire truck arrives at the scene BEFORE the EMT truck. This is because there are more fire stations and fire trucks than there are EMT garages and trucks. The fire fighters are trained to provide first-responder services to victims and this greatly improves the outcomes of emergency situations.

So, it's not a waste ... it's a benefit to all of us!

[TheVillageChicken]

I always thought it was because the fire truck is a govt entity mandated to respond and the EMT truck is a contractor trying to make some money.

[skip0358]

Originally Posted by Annie01

can someone explain to me why the fire truck follows the emt trucks for an emergency call??? NO FIRE..maybe a heart attack etc...of what use is a fire truck??? seems llike aot of wasted gas and time for them to follow every call...anyone know why?????
i would think the emt truck has everything they need.....just wondering !!!

In most cases the Fire Truck arrives first. They are equipped with all needed medical equipment to access the patient, provide immediate care and in most cases have the patient ready for transport. The Ambulance may be at the hospital, on another call or responding from a greater distance. Also they use the Fire Truck incase there is a Fire call on the way back from the Ambulance call.

[marianne237]

In one case that I know of, it worked out to the advantage of "gawkers", when one of them had a heart attack while watching. Without the extra firemen/emt's being there, this second emergency could have been fatal. I personally am very glad that we have some of the finest emergency personnel you could ask for.

[Ruthtomnorma3]

I too am glad we have the ENT /firemen's service.....
We have been here a year in May.....my Husband has had the service several times...4..
All were in record time with superior support....

They even had to CALM me one time....

[DEWRDW]

Originally Posted by Ruthtomnorma3

I too am glad we have the ENT /firemen's service.....
We have been here a year in May.....my Husband has had the service several times...4..
All were in record time with superior support....

They even had to CALM me one time....

The fire truck and EMT both coming together is not unique TV - this is the way it was done in southern Florida as well!

[Lovey2]

Originally Posted by DEWRDW

The fire truck and EMT both coming together is not unique TV - this is the way it was done in southern Florida as well!

Absolute fact...and as stated, often the Fire Personnel got there first. Happened with me and I was grateful they arrived as quickly as they did. By the time the EMS got there, I was taken care of.

[DonH57]

It's been that way just about everywhere we've lived. When we lived in Massachusetts our town police were always dispatched to an emergency and were usually first to arrive. I'm impressed by the EMS services here in the villages.

[NotGolfer]

Again....as the others have said this is standard operating procedure and not some "government" thing to get more $$$. They did it this way up north, where we moved here from. One of my brothers in law works for a 911 service in the state of WA....he said that one has the EMT's and the other's the first responders. Which ever one comes first can stabilize the patient until the others get there. I don't remember which one comes first...at any rate we all should be happy that TV has very good emergency personnel.

I too had to be cared for by them....the firemen leave once they see they aren't needed. The ambulance is for further care and transporting to a hospital.

[TraceyMooreRN]

If someone was in cardiac arrest--do you know how many people it actually takes to save that life? I can tell you first hand--a group! More than the 2 on the EMS truck. So- if there is a code, be thankful someone other than the 2 person EMS truck arrived. Even after that, the fire truck usually follows to the hospital--since more staff is required on the ambulance.

Lifting power? Try picking up an unresponsive 300 pound patient with two people?

Security--drama in the house. Two people assisting victim-another gathering information and helping calm down the family or control the scene. When a loved one is in distress, people get emotional. Sometimes more often than less interfere with the initial response efforts of EMS due to grief/anxiety/stress.

[DangeloInspections]

Originally Posted by TraceyMooreRN

If someone was in cardiac arrest--do you know how many people it actually takes to save that life? I can tell you first hand--a group! More than the 2 on the EMS truck. So- if there is a code, be thankful someone other than the 2 person EMS truck arrived. Even after that, the fire truck usually follows to the hospital--since more staff is required on the ambulance.

Lifting power? Try picking up an unresponsive 300 pound patient with two people?

Security--drama in the house. Two people assisting victim-another gathering information and helping calm down the family or control the scene. When a loved one is in distress, people get emotional. Sometimes more often than less interfere with the initial response efforts of EMS due to grief/anxiety/stress.

Great Post Tracey.....you said it well. As a career firefighter/Medic/Instructor, I have been on literally thousands of EMS calls....for all of the reasons Tracey stated. It takes two people to do CPR, someone to spike the bag, someone to push the Epi, etc, someone to get the meds the person takes together, someone to Intubate, someone to record everything done, etc on the PCR, someone to move furniture, bring in the guerney, help load the HUGE patient, someone to calm down the hysterical family, etc,etc.

In a 55+ community, I would think folks would consider good fire/EMS one of the most important factors in living here. Statistically, you WILL need all of the above in the future, probably more then once. Thank GOD we have them...they are never paid enough or appreciated enough.

It was a great career....I loved my work. Sometimes I earned my whole pay in 5 minutes. No two days were the same and I know I made a difference in many lives.

We had a politician once who wanted to cut our Fire Department and called us "parasites living off of the taxpayer." She went into cardiac arrest one night at a council meeting. We got there in under 2 minutes, performed Advanced life support, and she lived to continue her quest to cut our jobs.......oh well. I made it to retirement, moved to Florida and now I get to see many of you good folks. Life is good, and whenever I see a FF or a Medic, I thank them for their service.

Oh...we should also thank the RN's and ER folks...they put up with a lot also.

Respectfully, Frank D.

[oldyeller]

When you call 911 the operator asks you a number of questions to determine the nature of the call. These question help determine what type of emergency the crews are responding to and also what type of response is needed. A nose bleed may require one first responder while a multiple vehicle accident requires quite a different response.
The ambulances primary use is to transport the patient to the hospital. Depending on the type of emergency and whether the patient needs or wants transport to a hospital the first responder may be able to handle the problem. If transport is not needed the ambulance can be released to respond to another emergency while the fire truck remains assisting the patient and vice versa. They both carry life saving equipment for emergency medical issues ranging from minor emergencies such as nose bleeds or broken limbs to the more serious coronary, respiratory and trauma emergencies. The first crew on scene asses the patient’s condition, takes vitals and starts treatment. If it is determined the patient needs to be transported to the hospital the truck crew will assist the ambulance in preparing the patient for transport and in the case of a serious problem may ride with the ambulance to the hospital. With emergencies you can’t wait for help, it needs to be there when you need it. In the case of a coronary it takes one person to do compressions, one person to secure and maintain an airway, another to start an IV and two others to help with the equipment and prepare the patient for transport. Traumas also require an abundance of staffing that needs to be on scene when they are needed. With multiple trauma patients the staffing issues are doubled to say nothing of the other issues that may need attention. With an emergency there is no such thing as to much help, if they are not needed you can always cancel them but when you need HELP you need it NOW!

[getdul981]

Having been on a volunteer lifesaving crew for several years, I would have appreciated any and all help I could get when it comes to lifting and carrying a patient. More personnel are always helpful. Many times there were only 2 or 3 people on a call. Too often there was only 1 and then you really had to call for help. The fire department was paid and we were all volunteers. No assistance from them. I'm glad the times have changed in that respect.

[beachx4me]

Originally Posted by Annie01

can someone explain to me why the fire truck follows the emt trucks for an emergency call??? NO FIRE..maybe a heart attack etc...of what use is a fire truck??? seems llike aot of wasted gas and time for them to follow every call...anyone know why?????
i would think the emt truck has everything they need.....just wondering !!!

So many great answers here, hope you realize your tax dollars are not being wasted and there really is a reason for what you see. Different calls require different responses, plus nowadays firefighters are cross trained to do many things including being medics, instead of being basic emergency medical technicians.

With the advances of fire prevention you see a lot less on the fire side, and departments are seeing their EMS calls increase greatly. Plus here the medics appear to be pretty busy.

Plus, you will likely see the medic wagon follow the engine to a fire also, there is a regulation that says if you have two firefighters on the inside you have to have two on the outside. "Two in, two out".

So there is a method to the FD madness!!