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Should every Firefighter Have 1st Responder Training?

Yes You Are So right

i dont know about other departments but our engines make ems runs with the squads. allot of the time if one or both of our squads are transporting to the hospital or on the return trip from the hospital and the department is dispatched to a call the engine is first on the scene. we run an ALS engine but most of our fire fighters are at least EMT's i think that should be the standard accross the board. firefighter/EMT are a must.

It will help you not be so frustrated (tvfd502) but it is also a HUGE help to EMS folks. But believe me, if you're on my scene, I will give you something to do! :) I think CPR, AED, and basic first aid is an absolute must cause sometimes it takes awhile or us to get there, if we're already somewhere else!

firefighter8SR said:

Should every Firefighter Have 1st Responder Training?

LadyFirefighter08 says ...

Yes. I believe we should. However it's hard to get the class sometimes because of the lack of qualified instructors and or intrest. I just graduated FF 1 and was looking at FF 2 but in our area they only run that class every 2 years. So how do I get classes is no one wants to teach them ?

Thats a definite problem, as well as the limits to class size.  Our Instructors wont teach a class smaller than 15-20 students, so if we only get like 9 people to show up, some of which have to drive quite a distance to get to the hosting dept, than the teacher can not teach the class.

Every firefighter should have some level of medical training, not only to help the people we serve but to help each other as well.  Look at the LODD statistics...What percentage are cardiac or unknown medical reason??  If every firefighter had AT LEAST First aid, CPR and AED and all the trucks had a first aid kit with CPR mask or BVM, and AED than we can cut down those statistics and maybe save some more of our own.

Now look at the FAST or RIT teams also, how many are members of one of these specialty teams that are here to help our fallen firefighters but have NO EMS TRAINING?  Not even First Aid, CPR and AED??  You are the first person to reach our fallen brothers/sisters side, what if they are bleeding to death or have an airway obstruction where a quick bandage or basic airway maneuver that takes 5 seconds to do can save a life and you dont know how to do it?  Yes...Every firefighter should have First Responder, Cops do it in their academy so why arent we?  Good point Brother Sr!!!!!

I think that every citizen in the world needs first responder training. and fire departments need to be more qualified than that even. EMT-B at least.

*shrug*

kzov says ...

I think that every citizen in the world needs first responder training. and fire departments need to be more qualified than that even. EMT-B at least.

 

*shrug*

I like this one the best.

I think that all should be first responders but it is difficult for volunteers to do this.

yes i think they should but i doubt we will ever see this around my area

We don't run EMS and the police are first responders.  There has been some discussion about us becoming first responders and were told flat out that the police chief wouldn't allow it.  EMS is a huge part of the p.d.'s routine and frankly has justified their budget and manpower requests. Our chief agrees with the p.d. so we are only trained in CPR and AED to take care of our own. We have actually been told that we are not allowed to use the AED on anyone but f.d. personnel.  Imagine what that would look like, being on scene, big red truck, all standing around watching while some civilian dies of a heart attack.  Many of us have said privately that we would us it regardless and deal with the consequences later.   I think it's absurd not to be trained to at least the MRT level but in our case it's really just a political issue.

Well said dirtyriverrat but a First Responder first on the scene can start care. If There is no EMT on scene yet.

Yep, you are right there.  The First Responder can initiate some sense of good feeling for a patient or FF,

by giving first aid.  He then turns it over to the EMT-B or Para., whomever.  He then can complete his FF duties.

I think that the entire Fire Figthing world is in for a total shake up.  They will have to have at leat EMT-B.  I don't

believe they should have to have Paramedicine, but at least be able to rendor first aid and get the person packaged

up so they can be transported, but by no means does this mean it takes precedent over his Fire Fighting duties and

skills. 

Yes. It is part of N.C.  FF1&2  /  Rescue Tech.   cert.

damnthing says ...

We don't run EMS and the police are first responders.  There has been some discussion about us becoming first responders and were told flat out that the police chief wouldn't allow it.  EMS is a huge part of the p.d.'s routine and frankly has justified their budget and manpower requests. Our chief agrees with the p.d. so we are only trained in CPR and AED to take care of our own. We have actually been told that we are not allowed to use the AED on anyone but f.d. personnel.  Imagine what that would look like, being on scene, big red truck, all standing around watching while some civilian dies of a heart attack.  Many of us have said privately that we would us it regardless and deal with the consequences later.   I think it's absurd not to be trained to at least the MRT level but in our case it's really just a political issue.

That's just totally messed up.