30 March 2023
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) — The Hutchinson Fire Department (HFD) is looking to boost its efficiency.
On Feb. 1, HFD began a six-month pilot study to determine whether advanced EMT training is the answer.
All the Hutchinson firefighters are EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians) trained, but the advanced training would allow them to be more helpful on the scene and take steps before EMS (Emergency Medical Services) arrives. There are four Hutchinson firefighters who are AMT (American Medical Technologists) trained.
“We’re able to start a process of getting more stuff done on a patient,” Rebecca Mendoza said. “So when we’re there instead of just being able to do vitals like a blood pressure and such, we can actually have them start IVs.”
Mendoza is the EMS training captain and says she has heard a positive response so far.
“It sounds to me as if it’s beneficial, especially since they’re able to do things when EMS arrives and assist them in getting things done quicker,” Mendoza said.
One of the purposes of the study is to determine how much time this would actually save on the scene.
“Once we can do more on those scenes, so it’s not just blood pressures, it’s not just taking temperatures, and once we can get that going, we’re trying to figure out as far as time frames are on scene times,” Hutchinson Fire Captain David Goering said.
Also, they are using the pilot study to determine what medications would be most beneficial to carry.
“Zofran, Benadryl and then we got Dextrose and then Epi, so we’re rolling out with those four just as a start with,” Goering said.
Goering says after seeing some of the benefits of working firsthand, other firefighters have expressed interest in becoming an AMT.
“If this pilot program does take off and it works really well, which with two months in, it’s really working great. We can start getting people through school, we can do it on duty,” Goering said. “And I know chief has just been really great about that and trying to work with them.”
At the end of the six months, they will look into the next steps.
“We want to see if it’s working for the community for the citizens in getting things accomplished,” Mendoza said.