FeedThe wait for an ambulance is going to get a lot longer
May 25, 2006 in Local
Will someone please explain to me how this is not going to make it dangerous to need emergency care in Peoria?
The village of Creve Coeur is looking across the river for help because of a shortage of volunteers for its ambulance service.
The village board voted unanimously to enter into an agreement with Advanced Medical Transport of Peoria to provide secondary emergency services.
First responders will still come from Creve Coeur.
AMT said it takes about 10 to 12 minutes to get to village hall from their closest Peoria location
There is already serious concern among rescue personnel in Peoria that AMT is spread a bit too thin, and the situation is aggrevated by autgghorities insistance that only paramedics wearing AMT uniforms sitting in the back of AMT embulances can perform paramedia services — even though many AMT paramedics work full-time as Peoria firefighters.
Now, AMT’s limited number of ambulances are going to be covering a far wider geographic area.
Unless AMT is about ready to announce that they are putting more trucks in service with an increase in the number of personnel, this is a disaster waiting to happen.
May 25th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
Not a lot of facts out on this one yet.
Based on HOI’s very small writeup, it could be one of two things. CCFD could continue to provide ambulance services while using AMT as a secondary response unit, or AMT could be the primary response with CCFD responding as well to be with the patient until AMT’s arrival.
Option 2 is more likely, as this is how it is done for all the other fire districts that AMT provides ambulance support to.
AMT, unlike a fire dept-based service, is in the unique position to add or subtract units from the road at any given time. There would not be some big “announcement” as AMT does this several times a day. AMT has bases in Peoria and Pekin, so it would not be assumed that the units would be responding from Peoria only. Also, AMT uses “rolling units” where their ambulances are always moving, unlike a fire dept-based squad which responds from a fire station.
Also, I would hardly call CCFD’s response area “far wider”.
As for the comments about Paramedics and AMT… Any person with a Paramedic license (or any other license for that matter) can function up to the level of THEIR license reguardless of their AGENCY’S license when AMT is on the scene. For example, if PFD responds (BLS level) their Paramedics function as EMT-Bs. When AMT arrives, the PFD paramedics can now function as paramedics.
“Disaster” waiting to happen? Hardly. CCFD is trying to AVOID a disaster with the only means they have, letting their ambulance service go to AMT. Of course, we could all just bash AMT when we should be lauding the CCFD for reaching out for help when they can no longer do it on their own.
June 3rd, 2006 at 7:16 pm
Instead of just putting stuff on your website complaining, why aren’t you out there trying to help? Take an EMT class and volunteer so Creve Coeur won’t have to ask for help.
October 18th, 2006 at 10:46 pm
I just moved here from Madison, WI to attend Bradley University WHAT A MISTAKE! Dane County Wisconsin just implemented a new mutual aid program, see this link for more info http://www.countyofdane.com/em.....report.pdf
Anyways the way it would work is who ever is available would respond to the scene say Creve Coeur is busy why not dispatch East Peoria or Marquette Heights (if they have an ambulance service). But most of all I agree with greg, take an emt class and volunteer!
October 18th, 2006 at 10:47 pm
Addendum from Previous Post
Why not train Police/Sheriffs Deputys as EMT’s many countys up in wisconsin do that it boy does it work great!