What Do Paramedics Do?

Firefighter / Paramedics in SCFD 7 provide advanced life support and emergency care to victims of motor vehicle accidents, disasters & all medical emergencies. They also perform all firefighting activities. 

Fire-medics are highly trained in all aspects of prehospital emergency care ranging from trauma and medical problems to cardiac arrest. Fire-medics are highly skilled and able to treat and stabilize patients before transport to hospitals without unnecessary delay, they are quick thinking and decisive, yet able to provide a calm and reassuring environment for patients and relatives.  Increasingly, Fire-medics will carry out and interpret more diagnostic tests and undertake advanced procedures in the field. 

All fire-medics in SCFD 7 are considered dual-role. They are driver/operators on fire engines or ladder trucks, work on the HazMat teams, rope rescue teams, and other related fire department duties.

Medical Equipment
Our Paramedics Use:

SCFD7 Medic Units are equipped with a wide range of emergency care equipment such as cardiac monitor / defibrillators, endotracheal intubation equipment, oxygen, intravenous drips, spinal and traction splints, and over 30 drugs for medical and traumatic emergencies.

A Day In The Life Of A Paramedic:

The morning will start at 0800 with one hour of physical fitness followed by a shower and into uniform. The crew will then begin to do vehicle daily checks to ensure that all equipment and supplies are in-service and ready to go. This is important because at any moment a call for an automobile accident or a heart attack could come in for the medic unit.   Throughout the day and in between training, inspections, personal projects and fire prevention, Fire-medics could deliver a baby, treat a victim of an overdose, perform CPR, or dress the wounds of a minor injury.

Needless to say, this can be a challenging and stressful job, both physically and emotionally for the Paramedic.

Fire-medics need to be physicaly fit to accomplish firefighting activities, lift patients, and lead a healthy lifestyle to avoid heart attack and stroke. They risk exposure to contagious diseases, as well as violence from mentally unstable patients is always in the background. Emotionally they must be able to cope with continually seeing people in distress or near death. So, the job can be exhilarating, but also depressing and frustrating at times.

There are three types of EMS providers at SCFD 7.

1. There are EMT-Basics, these providers really represent the first level of emergency care here at SCFD 7. They are trained to assess a patient's condition, decide if the patient is sick / not sick (if they need paramedic intervention), establish vital signs and deliver basic aid to respiratory, cardiac and trauma emergencies.  All EMT’s at SCFD 7 are trained to be PMA’s (Paramedic Assistants) They are taught to do 12 leads, check blood sugars, set up IV’s, set up for rapid sequence intubation, and assist the fire-medic with advanced skills.  They will also transport to the hospital in two of the BLS units, A71 and A72.

2. The fire-medic (Described above)

3. Advancement beyond the EMT-Paramedic level at SCFD 7 usually means leaving field work to become an MSA (Medical Administrator Officer) or MSO (Medical Service Officer) Currently we have one MSA and one MSO.  These positions require years of experience, knowledge of the system, and a dedication to training EMT’s and paramedics. The MSA has overall responsibility for the EMS operations of the fire department. The MSO is in charge of EMS education and quality assurance and is a practicing pharmacist.

Certification & Training:

90% of paramedics in SCFD 7 are nationally registered as Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics.  They are required to attend run reviews taught by Dr. Finn, a Providence Everett ER MD.  They are also required to attend or teach CBT courses given to our EMT’s.  This training is part of the 150 hrs of state required training and the continual attendance at local conferences, and medical classes.  For recertification every three years, SCFD 7 fire-medics are also required to maintain ACLS, PALS and encouraged to maintain PHTLS, PEPP, NRP, TNCC and Advanced HazMat Life Support.

What Does A Paramedic Earn?

Firefighter / Paramedics are well compensated for the hard work they do and skills they are able to perform.  Usually a starting paramedic in SCFD 7 will make $4121 during the first year of probation.  After three years of employment and after becoming driver / operator the pay increases to $6076 mo or $73,000 yr. 

What Are Paramedics Allowed To Do?

1.  Endotracheal intubations
Placement of a plastic tube through the vocal cords into the trachea to breath for the unconscious patient. ie: cardiac arrest

2.  Rapid sequence induction (Suc’s, Etomidate/Versed, Norcuron)
The process of using medications to facilitate placement of a tube in a conscious patient.  i.e.: COPD, trauma.

3.  Surgical cricothyrotomy
Used when intubation is not possible due to trauma, swelling or obstruction of the airway.  A scalpel is used to cut an opening below the vocal cords, to place a Endotracheal tube.

4.  Medications
We utilize several different emergency medications for different emergency medical conditions such as chest pain, Asthma, COPD, Cardiac Arrest, etc..

5.  12 lead EKG
Placement of electrodes around the left side of the chest allowing the paramedic
to get an electrical picture of all sides of the heart. This gives us the ability to see if areas of the heart are under stress and not getting blood flow.

6.  Utilize waveform capnography (ETC02)
Allows the paramedic to see if the patient is getting exchanging C02 and oxygen and if the body is metabolizing it. Used by all anesthesiologists in the O.R. setting.

7.  Utilize Automatic Ventilators
A portable ventilator used to breath for the patient while intubated.

8.  Adult intraosseous access (EZ IO)
A drill-like tool used to place a needle for I.V. access in the leg of a patient, when all other options are not possible. This drill is a valuable tool to gain access to a patients vascular system by drilling a hollow needle into the shin bone. This is used when a regular IV is not possible (SCFD7 first in the county to use this tool)

9.  Central Lines
Placement of a large needle under the clavicle into the subclavian vein.

10. Chest Decompression
Placement of a needle between the ribs to release air trapped in the chest cavity, allowing the lungs to expand again.  Used in trauma patients.