EMS Line-Officers Structure?

[steve-in-kville]

Reading some of the past threads in regards to the various EMS services represented here (paid and volunteer), I am curious how your service(s) are structured. Our "premier" paid service in our county has a director, chief, deputy chief, and about 4 supervisors. All those positions must be filled by a medic. The director rarely works a shift on a truck, the chief and deputy fill in as every once and again, and the supervisors fill in where ever they're needed, typically on a MICU or they run the squad (also called a ALS chase vehicle, depending where you're from). On real greasy calls, the "sup" responds out to assist whatever truck may need a hand ALS-wise (codes, crashes, etc). This service keeps between 8-10 trucks in service at any given time.

Most of our volly's in the area have a chief, deputy, maybe an assistant and/or captains, etc. The various chiefs typically have various office/administrative responsibilities while the lesser line officers fill spots of driver training, precepting the probies, truck maintenance, etc. Again, as with the paid services, one of the chiefs may respond on the greasy stuff to assist the on-duty crew. Most of our volly services have at least one truck in service at all times, one larger volly service often has two trucks, as well as a QRS or something to that nature.

What about your service? How is it structured? Thoughts on improvements?

steve

[Neb.EMT]

My paid service is small. We have one station manager and one field supervisor (me). As e manager goes, he doesn't really do much. Basically he deals with our corporate office and fills in on the squad as needed. As field supervisor I take care of da to day operations and handle most PR situations.

On my volly dept. (fire and EMS combined) we have an EMS captain (me). As far as the EMS side of things I am in charge of everything. I am also fourth in charge for the whole dept. I have no second in command so to say. I take care of everything from scene command to training to budgeting and requesting money for EMS. And just like my paid job, my volly dept. is fairly small as well.