FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- The call goes out for a man down.
Chances are good, three times out of 10, the responding Flagstaff firefighters will find the person falling-down drunk and itching for a fight.
Chances are also good that they'll know the person by name because they've rolled on calls on the person before. Sometimes, they roll on medical calls more than once in the same day on the person.
Firefighters cannot afford to become callous when responding to medical calls, so fire officials have instituted a new training program aimed specifically at keeping firefighters and police officers professional in the face of dealing with repeated street drunk-related calls.
''It's meant to be a preventative, to avoid situations or to recognize situations that if they do occur or if they start presenting themselves we can interact,'' said Chief Mike Iacona of the Flagstaff Fire Department.
In late July all the city's firefighters, at a cost of $2,000, were required to undergo a four-hour session of sensitivity training. Fire officials made the training session available to officers with the Flagstaff Police Department and medics with Guardian Medical Transport.
The group format, with counselors from Flagstaff Child & Family Counseling directing, was meant to mimic the fire department's company setting and to be comfortable so firefighters and police officers were free to speak about their experiences, Iacona said.
''It's a forum for them to interact with one another,'' Iacona said.
According to fire department estimates, 30 percent of the fire department's 6,000 to 7,000 calls for services each year are for extreme ethanol intoxication. Iacona said some crews roll on several such calls during one 24-hour shift, sometimes more than once on the same person.
Because firefighters are human, there comes the time, when responding to sixth man-down call and somebody becomes combative, that firefighters are in jeopardy of not reacting professionally.
''That's what we're trying to say here,'' Iacona said. ''These things are going to happen and you've got to stay on top of your game and keep that professionalism from eroding.''
Firefighters, who respond to medical calls in the city, fulfill a major responsibility in the community, Iacona added. It is policy for Flagstaff that all alcoholic street people be treated medically.
''We have a responsibility to respond and to treat everyone as equals and not to get caught up in the complacency that says, 'OK, it's just another drunk,' but there's really a true medical emergency that's being masked by the alcohol,'' Iacona said.
Capt. Mark Wilson said, ''Our overall goal is we want to treat every patient with respect and dignity. We want to treat all, even public intoxicants, medically.''
Ryan and Wilson recalled instances where they were called to render medical aid to downed street drunks and were met with spitting, kicking, hitting, biting and a variety of combative attitudes.
The combative attitude can't matter to firefighters, Wilson said.
Battalion Chief Paul Hellenberg said, ''We're trying to avoid the 'not again' attitude that is only human. It's a distasteful job that has to be done, and we're the ones who have to do it.''
Not only distasteful, but potentially dangerous. According to Flagstaff police reports, emergency-service workers at Flagstaff Medical Center, the fire department and Guardian regularly report being assaulted by intoxicated street people.
Firefighter Jamey Grande was present for Wednesday's session. He had already undergone one session.
''It was very casual,'' Grande said, adding that the firefighters and police officers present were open with expressing their views.
Although he would not be specific about what was discussed, Grande did say that the group provided the counselors with important information. The counselors were tasked with coming back with specific interventions on how to appropriately handle potential difficulties, he added.
The training can only have a positive effect, Iacona said. And more will likely be planned in the future. ''It's a little better when you know there's other people feeling the same way,'' he added.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press
