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If you want a reasonable response time from the fire department, then you end up with way more firefighters on duty at any given time than there are fires to re

If you want a reasonable response time from the fire department, then you end up with way more firefighters on duty at any given time than there are fires to respond to. Instead of paying them to twiddle their thumbs, most communities train them as paramedics and either have the fire department run an ambulance service or just use them as first responders who can get to a medical scene before an ambulance can.

isostatic 9y ago
Most communities? The only place I've heard of it is the US.
- repiret 9y ago
  All right then, “most communities in the US.” I’ll admit I don’t really have any idea how it works anywhere else. However, I can only imagine that all developed countries have the “problem“ that modern building codes reduce the rate of fires such that they are faced with the choice between (1) reducing density of firefighters and therefore increasing their average response time (2) paying them to sit around and do nothing, or (3) giving them something else to do when there isn’t a fire.
- Spooky23 9y ago
  Its common in the US for basic life support to be delivered by private or hospital ambulances, or municipal EMS services by cheap EMTs. Sometimes they are just drivers. Usually advanced life support is done by paramedics or others who work for municipal EMS or fire departments. Bigger paid departments have a split between engine companies and rescue companies. Rescue companies have fancy tools for all sorts of situations and usually have more trained medical capability. That’s why you’ll see ladder trucks dispatched to medical emergencies in the US.
germinalphrase 9y ago
Additionally, it seems that many rural communities have volunteer fire departments that will respond to local events (fire or medical) much more quickly than the more highly trained/equipped regional departments. Trained as EMTs, they provide immediate care until they can hand off to the full timers.

isostatic 9y ago

Most communities? The only place I've heard of it is the US.

repiret 9y ago
All right then, “most communities in the US.” I’ll admit I don’t really have any idea how it works anywhere else. However, I can only imagine that all developed countries have the “problem“ that modern building codes reduce the rate of fires such that they are faced with the choice between (1) reducing density of firefighters and therefore increasing their average response time (2) paying them to sit around and do nothing, or (3) giving them something else to do when there isn’t a fire.
Spooky23 9y ago
Its common in the US for basic life support to be delivered by private or hospital ambulances, or municipal EMS services by cheap EMTs. Sometimes they are just drivers. Usually advanced life support is done by paramedics or others who work for municipal EMS or fire departments. Bigger paid departments have a split between engine companies and rescue companies. Rescue companies have fancy tools for all sorts of situations and usually have more trained medical capability. That’s why you’ll see ladder trucks dispatched to medical emergencies in the US.

germinalphrase 9y ago

Additionally, it seems that many rural communities have volunteer fire departments that will respond to local events (fire or medical) much more quickly than the more highly trained/equipped regional departments. Trained as EMTs, they provide immediate care until they can hand off to the full timers.