By WMBD-TV
NORMAL – Paramedic-level emergency medical care is now available from not just ambulances, but from all front-line fire engines in the Town of Normal.
The department announced Tuesday that it achieved its multi-year goal to upgrade all front-line engines when Engine 12 at Fire Station 2 went into service Monday morning.
“As much as we would like them to be, ambulances and fire apparatus are not always in the perfect spot every time a call is received. Sometimes the closest ambulance may be coming from the other side of town or on their way back from the hospital,” said Fire Chief Mick Humer.
The upgrade means that paramedics on the engine can now begin life-saving interventions and relay patient information, in the event that an engine responds before an ambulance.
“Upgrading our engines helps us bridge those vital minutes of patient care and provide advanced life support before the ambulance arrives,” added Humer.
The paramedic fire engines carry all the equipment and medications that an ambulance does, such as a cardiac monitor and defibrillator, intravenous medications, oxygen, and various means of stabilizing and treating the patient.
Normal Fire Department has a front-line paramedic engine and a paramedic ambulance at each of its three fire stations.
