Firefighters treated to breakfast during EMS Week
Published on Thu, Jun 4, 2009Read More Communities
City of Arlington Fire Department (AFD) staff was served breakfast during EMS week, May 18-23, by the AFD Women's Auxiliary. The women's group provided a hearty breakfast to each of the three shifts on three consecutive mornings to thank the crews for their service to the community.
Arlington Fire Department responded to 2,869 calls in 2008, with over 86 percent of calls--2,460--involving a medical emergency. AFD has one advanced life support ambulance staffed with two paramedics and one basic life support ambulance staffed with two emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Arlington Fire Department also provides emergency medical services to Arlington Heights, Oso and Darrington on a contract basis.
The EMS program is supported by transport fees and an EMS levy. Every three years for the past three decades, the community has shown its support of an EMS levy. In 2010, AFD will need to seek approval from citizens to lift the lid and renew the levy to support the increase in the number of EMS calls and need for additional paramedics.
Tom Jackson, Arlington Fire Department's newest paramedic, explained why he opted to go through the arduous training required for the position.
"I had been in the fire service for around 7 years total with almost one year of that as a paid firefighter when I got the opportunity to go to medic school," said Jackson. "I had worked side by side with paramedics during that time and saw them make some amazing improvements in people's health and wellbeing during very intense and difficult times. After that I was inspired to become a paramedic."
"Little did I know that the road to becoming a medic was long and difficult, between the endless hours in the classroom, the emergency room at Harborview, Children's Hospital, and countless shifts day and night on the busiest medic units in Washington," he continued. "I asked myself, why do I want to do this again? Well, that answer is easy. There is no better feeling in the world than that of being a part of making someone's life or health better in their most difficult time. The firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics I work with are the most selfless and genuine people I know, and we stand ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help anybody in any way we can."
AFD currently has 14 emergency medical technicians (EMT's) and 9 paramedics on staff.
Arlington Fire Department responded to 2,869 calls in 2008, with over 86 percent of calls--2,460--involving a medical emergency. AFD has one advanced life support ambulance staffed with two paramedics and one basic life support ambulance staffed with two emergency medical technicians (EMTs).
Arlington Fire Department also provides emergency medical services to Arlington Heights, Oso and Darrington on a contract basis.
The EMS program is supported by transport fees and an EMS levy. Every three years for the past three decades, the community has shown its support of an EMS levy. In 2010, AFD will need to seek approval from citizens to lift the lid and renew the levy to support the increase in the number of EMS calls and need for additional paramedics.
Tom Jackson, Arlington Fire Department's newest paramedic, explained why he opted to go through the arduous training required for the position.
"I had been in the fire service for around 7 years total with almost one year of that as a paid firefighter when I got the opportunity to go to medic school," said Jackson. "I had worked side by side with paramedics during that time and saw them make some amazing improvements in people's health and wellbeing during very intense and difficult times. After that I was inspired to become a paramedic."
"Little did I know that the road to becoming a medic was long and difficult, between the endless hours in the classroom, the emergency room at Harborview, Children's Hospital, and countless shifts day and night on the busiest medic units in Washington," he continued. "I asked myself, why do I want to do this again? Well, that answer is easy. There is no better feeling in the world than that of being a part of making someone's life or health better in their most difficult time. The firefighter/EMTs and firefighter/paramedics I work with are the most selfless and genuine people I know, and we stand ready 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help anybody in any way we can."
AFD currently has 14 emergency medical technicians (EMT's) and 9 paramedics on staff.
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