Firefighters may get the OK to provide more medical care

Manatee County fire districts could soon be one step closer to providing non-transport Advanced Life Support when responding to calls.

On Tuesday, the Manatee County Commission is set to update the county’s Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity Ordinance, which will clear the way for interested fire departments to provide this advanced level of medical care when they arrive on scene.

“Increased advanced life support response units will improve emergency medical service delivery to the citizens and visitors of Manatee County,” Tuesday’s commission agenda materials state. “Response times to emergency calls for service will improve as additional response units will be added to our 911 system.”

The ordinance requires that all responders use the same medical director as well as common medical/trauma transport protocols to “promote the continuity of pre-hospital medical care delivered in Manatee County,” the agenda materials state.

West Manatee Fire Rescue has already started moving forward as eight firefighter/EMTs at the fire district started training to become paramedics earlier this year. Once they become paramedics by next February, the fire district will be able to start providing the non-transport ALS, Tom Sousa, the fire district’s chief, has said.

“We are putting a safety net in for the current EMS system,” Sousa said in February. “What we are trying to do is save more lives by getting there quicker. That’s the goal.”

When the fire district responds to a call today, they are able to provide a basic level of medical care. But after proper training to become a paramedic, they would be able to perform an advanced level of care, including advanced airway procedures, administering medications, chest decompression and heart monitoring.

“We believe this will be a great value to the community,” Sousa said. “It will supplement the current service that is provided by Manatee County, which is excellent service, and it will guarantee that a person within our district will receive a paramedic in a timely manner, either us through a fire engine or Manatee County EMS.”

Manatee County has only 19 full-time transport ambulances.

“Any time you can add a higher level of service to the community it’s a good thing,” Bob Smith, the county’s public safety director, said in February. “Obviously, having additional highly trained personnel on the scene of an incident can always be of help.”

This story was originally published April 3, 2017 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Firefighters may get the OK to provide more medical care."