Does FireTransport Discredit or Criticize EVAC Ambulance?
The current two-tier system was created over 27 years ago, at a time when many fire departments in Volusia County could not provide Advanced Life Support (ALS), some fire departments did not respond to medical emergencies at all, and Volusia County Fire Service was not consolidated, and largely volunteer. At that time, EVAC provided a vital service. The founding members of the Emergency Medical Foundation, and the Volusia County Council of 1981 are to be commended for their bold leadership. Their willingness to try something new saved thousands of lives. But the world did not stand still for 27 years. The fire service county-wide evolved, and now virtually every fire department provides rapid first-tier EMS response, 24/7, with professional, fully certified paramedics providing Advanced Life Support service. Today the two-tier EMS system using a separate private ambulance company to transport patients to the hospital after the fire department provides first-tier response and care is a
