Sacramento Fire Department has new way of responding to 911 calls
SACRAMENTO — The Sacramento Fire Department has a new way to respond to medical aid calls.
Traditionally, a fire engine and ambulance would be dispatched to every 911 request for medical help with six firefighters. But now, in some cases, the department only sends two-person paramedic squads.
"Those calls that they're going to be responding to, though, are going to be lower acuity calls, so this is something of maybe back pain for a week or someone needs a medication refill and they called 911," said Captain Justin Sylvia, a spokesperson for the fire department.
So why is the fire department changing its medical aid response?
"We're seeing a lot more call volume, so what this program is designed to do is figure out a different way to deliver our service to the community," Sylvia said.
The change will help keep the engines, trucks, and ambulances available for more urgent emergencies like fires, car crashes, and violent crimes.
Sylvia said the change has been successful so far.
The squad can sometimes treat the patient at the scene or use a computer tablet to consult with a doctor over a video call, preventing an ambulance trip to the hospital.
Dr. Greg Kann, the Sacramento County Emergency Medical Services Agency medical director, said this new type of response can help alleviate hospital ER overcrowding.
"The old model of every 911 call gets an ambulance with a paramedic is just simply not sustainable," Dr. Kann said.
He said Sacramento County currently has some of the highest emergency room wait times in the nation – more than double the national average.
"We want everybody to get the care that they need in the right time and with the right resources," Dr. Kann said.
Capt. Sylvia said that no matter what type of vehicle shows up, patients are still getting quality medical aid.
"There's no diminish of care at all," he said.
This is a pilot program that launched two weeks ago and is scheduled to continue through March. No new personnel have been hired, but the department said it could be expanded in the future if it continues to be successful.
