WHY DO FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO MEDICAL EMERGENCIES?
An essential component of the Yakima Fire Department mission is the protection of life, health, and property. The Yakima Fire Department endeavors to give our residents the best care possible and always provides the closest Fire Engine or Rescue to the emergency with staffed, competent Firefighter/Emergency Medical Technicians. Your neighborhood fire station is strategically located to deliver time-critical response to any emergency. In addition, they are staffed 24/7 with professional firefighters who have received emergency medical training and every fire engine is equipped with basic life support equipment.
Every 9-1-1 call requesting medical assistance is potentially a life-threatening emergency. In an emergency medical incident, additional staffing may be necessary to treat the patient and prepare him or her for transportation to the hospital. This additional staffing enables the responding crew to simultaneously complete different tasks for the patient's care. By having additional EMTs on hand, the care of the patient is improved, and the preparation time before transportation to the hospital is shortened.
Consequently, the reality is that the fire service has become the first-line medical responder for critical illness and injury. We are often in a race against the clock. In cardiac arrest, every minute that passes your odds of survival decrease by 10 percent.
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ON DUTY DELIVERY
On August 26th at 4:50 p.m., Yakima firefighters responded to a report of a possible childbirth.
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First on the scene, Acting Lieutenant Ty Brown and Firefighter Jeff Jones found a female sitting on a couch in labor. Mere seconds later, mom gave a push and in a move that Ichiro would be proud of, firefighter Jones stretched out and literally “caught” the baby. Soon there after, the ambulance arrived and Acting Lieutenant Brown assisted in suctioning the infant’s mouth and nose to assure a clear airway. The baby boy expressed his displeasure by crying – which was music to everyone’s ears. With the assistance of ambulance personnel, Lt. Brown then clamped and cut the umbilical chord while Firefighter Jones held the newborn boy. After being dried off and wrapped in a blanket, the infant was given to mom and both were transported to Memorial Hospital for follow-up.
Acting Lt. Brown and Firefighter Jones become the second pair of YFD honorary “uncles” this year.
Earlier this year, Acting Lt. Pete Duthie and Firefighter Tim Gese arrived on scene just in time to deliver a baby girl.
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