Rated Officer on EMS Units

[3981502sts]

Does anyone have any information (pos.or neg.) on departments that have rated officers on EMS units? Do any of your departments staff two members to a unit with a rated officer either on a ambulance, aid unit, R/A etc. If so what is your opinion of this model of staffing.
Thanks

[Weruj1]

whats a rated officer ?>

[3981502sts]

Rated Officer ie: Captain Lieut. Other than a pair of line FF's

[Weruj1]

Toledo Fire & Rescue runs units as you describe..........are you talking on a FT basis ?> Here on my POC we do the same........works ok at both places as far as I know .......... so I would say thats 2 for the yes vote.........

[3981502sts]

Yes, our union is trying to obtain a full time rated officer to always be on our EMS units. We don't transport at this time and they are only BLS. For us in the Northwest this doesn't seem to be the industry standard and were I came from prior to, in SO. Cal., it was ALS units with no Officer. So it has been the buzz around the stations lately and I was looking for other input from other agencies. Thanks

[Weruj1]

Toledo runs Capts and Lt's on rescue units .......(no transport).....soon however this maybe a changin.........

[3981502sts]

Are their rescue units strictly EMS providers or do they preform fire ground operations as well? Our units are FF's and may be assigned to a fire scene but the primary mission is BLS EMS non transport. If transport is needed private ambulances take the pt. IF ALS is needed our County Medic unit transports. The buzz from the upper half is responsibility is needed on the unit. The FF's claim the only thing the person does riding in the right hand seat is talk on the radio push buttons on the MDC and pass command if needed.

[3981502sts]

One more thing, we are all trained to the same level of care "BLS" We have very strong guidlines on when to request ALS if needed. I personaly don't feel that a FF couldn't handle this task when working in our current model. However if the Uppers feel this insn't working as is, maybe it is a training issue.

[cellblock]

My local city FD doesn't have Capt or Lt positions. There's just the Chief and the firefighters he commands. No other rank.

[3981502sts]

Thanks for the help anyway, if you know of any others please pass it on. Thanks

[Weruj1]

Are their rescue units strictly EMS providers or do they preform fire ground operations as well? Our units are FF's and may be assigned to a fire scene but the primary mission is BLS EMS non transport. If transport is needed private ambulances take the pt. IF ALS is needed our County Medic unit transports. The buzz from the upper half is responsibility is needed on the unit. The FF's claim the only thing the person does riding in the right hand seat is talk on the radio push buttons on the MDC and pass command if needed.

thats about how it works here now ..........other than they dont pass command until a BC gets on location.........