On Monday, January 13, 2020 at 0800 hours, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District began operating their first Advanced Life Support-Paramedic Fire Engine. This Engine operates at our Station #5 which is located at 7301 Honore Avenue.
This Engine is staffed with 24/7 with Firefighter/Paramedic’s that carries life-saving medications, IV fluids, advanced airways and a portable defibrillator/monitor/pacemaker that can also run 12/15 lead EKG’s and other life-saving equipment.
Our Firefighter/Paramedic’s operate under the direction of the Manatee County Medical Director, Dr. David Nonell and our personnel utilize his treatment protocols for medical, cardiac, trauma and pediatric patients.
When there is a medical call in our area, we get dispatched along with a Manatee County EMS Ambulance and we usually arrive on scene minutes ahead of the ambulance and in these minutes our Firefighter/Paramedic’s can begin Advanced Life Support procedures and begin to stabilize a patient so when the ambulance arrives, the patient can be immediately transported to the hospital which drastically cuts the on scene time down.
The District plans on upgrading another one of their Fire Engines to Advanced Life Support sometime in March 2020. This will occur at our Station 4, located at 5228 45th Street.
