Why does the Fire Dept. send a Fire Engine to Emergeny Medical Calls?
This question is asked by many people and even sometimes the people that called 911. On several occasions the emergency callers will tell the crews I need an ambulance not a Fire Engine. It is important to know that all of your firefighters are trained at a minimum as Emergency Medical Technician and carry appropriate medical equipment. It is the Fire Departments’ goal to get properly trained personnel and equipment to your emergency call as quickly as possible. Fire Engines are often the closest emergency apparatus available, therefore they will be sent to provide emergency medical help, while another crew is bringing an Aid Unit (ambulance). It also works in reverse where the Aid Unit may arrive first, but more personnel are needed to help with the patient care. In this case a second arriving emergency vehicle may be a Fire Engine.
