Rural Fire department volunteer or paid

[Dustdevil]

And people still wonder why EMS is headed nowhere? :roll:

[spenac]

Dust thats why I say you can have a volly fire or combo as described earlier, they get few calls.

I do not think there is any place for volly EMS anymore. EMS is needed more often and is always involving a person. While fire can be dangerous most of the time it is just property with the rare occasion of someone trapped that needs properly equiped and educated people to enter fire and bring them out for EMS to treat.

One of the big reasons citys I have lived in or visited decided for FF's to become medics was they realized they were paying these guys to sit around and do nothing so they had the dumb idea lets make them do both fire and EMS. To different monsters and most are not cut out for both.

[speedygodzilla]

In rural areas with low call volume my opinion is that it should be one paramedic around the clock and 3 to 4 basic train in fire in EMS. To be a firefighter you have to be a EMT-B anyways. The station should have two ambulance and one apparatus. They would only run the one ambulance with the paramedic, having a back up there if the left over EMT-B got a call at the same time. In a perfect world where money would not be an issue I could justify separating the two, but in a rural area where calls are low you have to budget. I think this would be the best route to go, as you could provide both vital services. There is more detail to this system but I think you get the main point.

I think EMS and fire should be paid (at least by call, in low volume areas) and that Fire should be expected rather in rural or in large city to be well medically educated and expected to supply medical services. All areas SHOULD have a paramedic available 24/7 whether fire or totally separate.

MY OPINION, not fact.

To all the vollies, thanks for what you do, and I personally think that you should be paid at least by call.

[spenac]

In my opinion fire should have nothing to do with EMS, beyond assisting extrication. They should have first responder education. They should not be on the ambulance. Fire and EMS are 2 seperate monsters. You can not give your best 2 both and be worth adarn at either. Choose one and run with it. Fire is not needed very often in comparision to EMS. As a tax payer I can see the need for 2 guys sitting by waiting with the ambulance because somebody, possibly myself will need them today. Fire may not be needed for months on in in many rural areas. Sorry but if I have any say in how my tax money is spent it would be for paramedic staffed ambulances over FF.

[WendyT]

For those of you who like to BBQ, it's at spenac's place :drunken: lmao Hyjack!!

[spenac]

For those of you who like to BBQ, it's at spenac's place :drunken: lmao Hyjack!!

Sorry it's cancelled some idiot FF's came and sprayed foam over it, they said they thought it was out of control.

Keep EMS and Fire seperate.

[Chief1C]

Oh, tell the truth.. You were taking a bubble bath in the pool.

[brentoli]

I think she really has lost it this time.

[Chief1C]

Who?

[Dustdevil]

Who?

Her.