The trend toward community paramedicine, a/k/a, mobile integrated healthcare, is growing nationwide.
That’s good news, from the point of view of firefighters.
It relieves some of the load of time-consuming or frequent-flyer EMS runs from busy fire crews.
And it provides the customers better, more specialized care.
Win-win, right?
Yes—but setting up a community paramedicine program requires some careful planning.
My guest on this episode to explain some of the factors behind a good program is Chief Porter Welch. He’s chief of the Scioto, Ohio Township Fire Department. And he’s the chairman of the Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association Mobile Integrated Healthcare Committee .
He helped write and get passed legislation that allowed community paramedicine in Ohio.
Article: Creating a healthier, safer community with fire-based MIH-CP
Article: Community paramedicine: How EMS can work smarter, not harder
Trivia question:
What city developed the first fire alarm telegraph .. and when?
Answer:
The city to develop the first fire alarm telegraph system in 1852 was Boston. The system was later improved and manufactured by John Gamewell—sound familiar? Yep, that’s the same guy and the same system.
