By Edward Luis Friend
The Bakersfield Californian
KERN COUNTY, Calif. — A new type of first-responder unit within the Kern County Fire Department has been set up to attend to local medical emergencies — and already it has notched a success.
The agency announced the new units after one of them, Medic Squad 63, performed advanced life support interventions that saved a life Wednesday.
Arriving on scene for a patient suffering a non-traumatic cardiac arrest, through swirling dust and heavy winds, Medic Squad 63 personnel resuscitated the person before providing transportation to a hospital. The squad reported that the patient regained consciousness and was verbally communicating during transport.
The unit will be accompanied by Medic Squad 15, meaning there will be two medical units operating for KCFD.
Consisting of highly trained fire paramedics, the two units will mostly operate in Oildale and Rosamond. KCFD reported that these unincorporated communities account for over 10,000 emergency service calls per year.
Capt. Andrew Freeborn of the KCFD said the new medical units will deploy certified paramedics instead of emergency medical technicians, authorizing them to perform more advanced procedures and offer advanced life support.
All firefighters must be certified EMTs, but not all firefighters have to be paramedics.
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