IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS THE METROPOLITAN Ambulance Authority operates the emergency medical service for 15 localities in the Metro area. In addition, many firefighters are either EMT or Paramedic qualified because the FD also runs as first responders.
In recent years the ambulance service has been unable to meet the response time standards of 90% of calls on-scene within nine minutes. Lately it has been slipping even further because of staff shortages and an increasing number of calls. The serious lag in ambulance arrival times also has the effect of keeping engine companies tied up on the scene for longer periods while they wait for the transportation.
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Yesterday the Asst. City Manager announced that the city will authorize up to $10,000 per day for overtime pay for qualified firefighters to run extra units until the ambulance division can get brought back up to strength.
Firefighters — one paramedic and one EMT — will staff six brush trucks from stations 12, 17, 23, 24, 36 and 37. The crews will work during their 48 hours of downtime between regular shifts, said Fire Chief Rudy Jackson.
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The ambulance service, MedStar, is short 16 paramedics and 22 EMT’s. But training classes now running will bring it almost up to full strength by the end of October.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the full STORY.
Firegeezer says: It is refreshing to see a city jump right in with a positive, albeit temporary, solution and implement it instead of a bunch of hand-wringing and moaning that so often happens. It looks like Fort Worth takes their emergency services seriously.
