Normal to roll out 3 full-time paramedic-level ambulances

[jamcominc]

December 13, The Pantagraph - People needing emergency medical help in Normal will have the highest level of mobile care starting Monday, when the Fire Department will put three full-time paramedic-level ambulances staffed with two paramedics into service.

The department previously ran ambulances staffed with basic life support-trained emergency medical technicians. Moving to paramedic level became necessary when Lifeline Mobile Medics went out of business in September 2007.

While 25 firefighter/EMT students were training, three paramedics already on the department staffed a "chase" vehicle, a small SUV accompanying existing BLS ambulances on medical calls requiring Advanced Life Support-level care.

Paramedic students, while working their 24 on/48 off fire department schedule, took three semesters of classes at Heartland Community College, completed 300 hours each of clinical skills and ALS ambulance ride time, handled trauma patients and field skills like IV starts.

They also passed hands-on evaluations, state paramedic and McLean County EMS written exams.

McLean County EMS System officials will be at fire headquarters, 1300 E. College Ave., at 9 a.m. Monday to inspect each ambulance before they go into service. The chase vehicle will be taken out of service.

"We're excited to finally be able to offer this service to our citizens and visitors," said Assistant Fire Chief Mick Humer.

"It's been a long and difficult process and it took cooperation from every member of our department," he said in a statement. "People had to work overtime so others could attend class, officers had to juggle shifts and assignments and the paramedic students themselves did a tremendous amount of work."

Source: http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008 ... 883144.txt