Fire department call volumes reflect far more EMS responses than fully-involved fires. Today’s fire chiefs face unique challenges in staffing, equipping, housing, transporting and training the right crews for the job with the myriad of incidents they respond to. Learn more in this Special Coverage Series: Leveling up Fire-Based EMS.
Community paramedicine programs hold the potential to take a load of work off firefighters, and at the same time, offer better treatment to patients.
But recently, one of the better-known programs in the U.S. shut down. The Mesa, Arizona Fire and Medical Department had funded their program through a grant, which wasn’t renewed.
Fire Chief Mary Cameli knew that could happen, and said so last year on Code 3.
But when the grant money ran out, Mesa Fire was unable to get the money it needed from insurers, hospitals or anywhere else, and the community paramedicine program was shut down.
How does this type of program get funded?
In this episode of Code 3 Podcast, Chief Gary Ludwig of the Champaign, Illinois Fire Department discusses how to pay for a community paramedicine program. Ludwig is first vice president of the IAFC and a member of the FireRescue1 and Fire Chief Editorial Advisory Board.
