Fla. FD gets 2 advanced critical care units

The vehicles are equipped with vital items, including medications, blood products, IV pumps, intubation equipment and ventilators

By Leila Merrill
FireRescue1/EMS1 Staff

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. —The Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department recently put two new advanced critical care units into service.

The units are equipped with several items, including medications, blood products, IV pumps, intubation equipment and ventilators.

A unit is stationed on each side of the St. Johns River.

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“Each of the city’s newest basic rescue units cost $350,000, plus another $80,000 in advanced life-saving equipment. These two critical care units received an additional $25,000 each in special equipment, as their crews spent a month being trained in the advanced medical care they provide with them,” Chief Keith Powers said to WJCT.

“It’s a small project right now; two units,” said Bradley Elias, the fire department’s medical director. “Ideally, we will expand this project outward to have additional units with these capabilities. We wanted to start slow and have a controlled environment where we have all these personnel adequately trained.”