Grants help Calif. FD attain 24/7 paramedic staffing at all firehouses

By Jim Silva
Merced Sun-Star

MERCED, Calif. — All five of Merced’s city fire stations now have a firefighter/paramedic on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the city announced in a news release.

The complete coverage began at 8 a.m. Monday when Fire Station 52 in south Merced began providing advanced life support services, the city said. Advanced life support allows firefighter/paramedics to provide heart monitoring, medication administration, advanced airway management and other lifesaving treatment before a patient reaches the hospital.

| MORE: EMS is more than a transportation service: Why reimbursement must evolve

Funding for the new positions to provide the coverage was provided through federal grants.

“This is something we’ve been working toward for some time,” Division Chief Mickey Brunelli said in the news release. “When someone calls 911 for a medical emergency, minutes matter. Having a paramedic available at every station gives us another tool to provide the best possible care to our community.”

Medical emergencies account for approximately 70% of calls handled by the Merced Fire Department.

The Merced Fire Department’s five stations responded to more than 12,700 calls for service in 2025, the city said. Call volume is expected to exceed 14,000 in 2026.

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