The Dearborn Fire Department has made a significant advancement in its EMS service delivery with an upgrade of all front-line Ladder Companies to the “Advanced Life Support” (ALS) Paramedic Service Level.
While all Rescue and Engine companies have been ALS certified since the 1990s, the Ladders were licensed at a lower level due to a limited number of paramedics on the Fire Department.As of October 2012, all but one of the Dearborn Fire Department’s employees are certified as paramedics and all front-line vehicles now provide ALS services.
With this accomplishment, Dearborn joins only a few other cities in Michigan that have all Rescue, Engine and Ladder Companies certified to the ALS level.
ALS service has been shown to have a significant positive impact on the outcome of severely injured or ill patients.
That’s because ALS service allows firefighters to perform many more advanced life-saving treatments on patients such as: medication administration, IV fluids, cardiac electrical therapy, intubation and advanced airway procedures.
While Ladder Trucks are not the primary vehicles that respond to emergency medical calls, they are deployed when other apparatus are busy.
“The upgrade in service of the Ladder Trucks to ALS ensures that no matter how many other Fire Department vehicles are out assisting the public, a resident who calls 911 will always have access to ALS services without delay,” said Fire Chief Joseph Murray.