FY2011 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2011 | Page 38

Newsletter Title

Page 38

Arlington‘s Emergency Medical Service system is an
integration of the resources of the Fire Department
and our private ambulance contractor, American
Medical Response (AMR). The Arlington Fire
Department‘s First Responder Program dispatches
fire apparatus as well as an ambulance on most
medical emergencies. All Arlington firefighters are
Emergency Medical Technicians certified as either
EMT-Intermediates or Paramedics. This high level
of training allows them to perform advanced life
support skills, including initiating intravenous access
for drugs and fluids, inserting endotracheal
breathing tubes, and administering medications.
Because of the strategic placement of fire stations
throughout the city, firefighters are often the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene of
an incident. These trained EMS professionals are able to stabilize patients and initiate critical life
saving measures prior to the arrival of an ambulance.
American Medical Response is the exclusive ambulance service provider in Arlington. The
ambulance contract is a fee-based system, with no taxpayer subsidy paid to AMR. Citizens are
offered the opportunity to participate in AMR‘s Ready Care subscription program, which limits out
of pocket expenses for medically
necessary transports. AMR‘s fleet of
Mobile Intensive Care Unit ambulances
is operated under a system status
management concept, with the number
and placement of units determined by
continuing analysis of call patterns.
The City‘s contract with AMR
establishes response time standards
for each call level, from critical full
cardiac arrests, to inter-facility transfers
from hospitals to nursing homes.
Penalties are assessed for
performance below the contractual
requirements for each
call type.

Working Together to Make Arlington Better.

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