Interlocal/Mutual Aid Agreements Ideas

[hwoods]

Hmmm.......

Where do you start?...... Couple of things kinda stand out. Adding stuff to a SUV or Ambulance IN ADEQUATE AMOUNTS, will be next to Impossible. When we decided to go into the Extracation/Rescue Business many years ago, we Bought a Hurst Pump and Jaws and carried it on our Ladder Truck. A few calls and a couple of training Sessions after we started, we found that we had to add stuff to make it work. Cribbing, Air Bags, Air Tools, and more Hand Tools were added. This was in addition to the Tools already carried for Truck Work. We outgrew the space on the Ladder truck and Moved everything to a Pumper that had extra Compartment Space made by adding Diamond Plate Aluminum Tool Boxes to it. 5 more years and we went into our first Heavy Rescue, then 3 years ago we had Pierce build a new Heavy Rescue, a $750,000.00 job with Tandem Axles, Walk in Box, Light Tower, Etc..... In our area, the Fire Department has always, from day 1, provided all EMS and Rescue Services. We should be called the "Everything" Department since if it doesn't involve knives or guns, it's ours.

My Advice?........
Start out by getting several "Utility Body" Pickups or Van Style Work Trucks. Equip these with a Hurst Tool System, Generator, Lights, Cribbing, Hand Tools and a "Starter" Airbag Set. These should operate out of several VFDs located to provide maximum coverage in the County. Then Build on that Concept. Alternately, there are used Medium and Heavy Rescues for sale out there, you just have to look around.........

Last. Please feel free to email me at pgchief182 @firehousemail.com I realize that you can't afford to start out with the Equipment that we have now, but I can offer you a lot of tips on how to have a decently equipped small Rescue Truck on a tiny budget...... Good Luck.

[tree68]

We have two career staffed departments in the county - one municipal, one federal. Both have heavy rescues (squads to some) with a full complement of tools.

They only occasionally wander outside their primary response areas because a significant number of the surrounding volunteer fire departments have tools.

It would be unlikely that I would see either in my district. While we don't have any hydraulic tools on our light rescue (we have a couple of sawzalls and some other light extrication equipment), I can have at least three sets of hydraulic tools (all from VFD's) at a scene anywhere in my district within about 10 minutes. At least one set is automatically dispatched for all MVA's in my district.

I think I'd sit down with all of the VFD's in your county and determine who can handle what, and who is most likely to need what. Several sets of hydraulic tools (jaws) strategically spread around the county would certainly reduce the number of times the city had to come out into the county, as well as giving you the availability of several sets of tools if the need arose.

In addition, you might look to stock the VFD's that don't get hydraulic tools with light rescue equipment (saws, portapower, chocking, etc) that would complement the heavy tools.

Key, of course, is training -both classroom and hands-on - but if you want to attract a crowd of firefighters, tell 'em they're gonna cut some cars up into little pieces. Include the city FD in this training (even using their instructors if they have any) and cross-acceptance will go fairly smoothly.

Funding for this might come through local support or grants - but I'd contact some insurance companies, too.

A handy part about doing this as a county-wide project is that you have the ability to start out with a standard - everyone gets the same tools, increasing interchangability and simplifying training.

I've never run into an ambulance that had extrication equipment on it. Even EMS squads that do extrication usually carry such equipment on a separate vehicle. Some have rigs that rival any FD heavy rescue.

Best of luck!

[LaFireEducator]

You say there are approx 80 mutual aid calls per year and the proposal is to bill about $1000 for each. That's an estimated cost of $80,000 to the county. That will buy a lot of rescue equipment for the rural departments. Offer them some training also and everyone benefiets.

Same thought here.

Plan A -Wjth that 80K buy 3 full sets of tools for three vollie departments and assign them each specific districts to run all MVAs in.

Cross-train the other departments without the tools to assist them on arrival.

PLan B -

Buy one full set for one department to act as the primary other than the city.

Buy combi-tools for the other departments, which will handle the majority of the incidents. Stock the primary department with heavier tools and extra equipment such as struts and air bags initially or down the line for truck, school bus, etc incidents.

Sounds like this may be a great scenario for a county extrication team where all the departments are trained in operations with the tools responding from one or two central departments. I really know if EMS would the the right agency, and would have real concerns abou them being on the bus. They could possibly be carried ion a light rescue operated by EMS, with all the departments cross-trained, as long as EMS could garuntee getting the squad/light rescue on the road.