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Emergency Medical Services
 The
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Manager manages an effective EMS
quality assurance program, reviews run reports for
protocol completeness and compliance,
and directs and monitors infectious disease control procedures. The EMS Manager supervises
and manages daily operations of emergency medical procedures, incidents, equipment and
personnel, authorizes all medical supplies, responds to major incidents and prepares
medical grant applications.
VCFS currently has over 120 Emergency Medical Technicians
(EMT’s) and approximately 40 paramedics responding to emergency calls. Anyone over
the age of 18 wishing to learn more by participating in the EMS Ride-A-Long Program, may
contact Deputy Chief Frank Pocica at 736-5940 ext. 2487.
Advanced Life Support
Volusia County Fire Services’ Advanced
Life Support (ALS) Fire Engines now utilize state-of-the-art cardiac
monitor-defibrillators to help save the lives of patients. The Zoll M
Series monitor-defibrillator utilizes the most up-to-date cardiac
diagnostic technology available in the industry to help us treat cardiac
patients.  These monitors
are capable of acquiring a 12-Lead EKG (the current in-hospital
standard) within 10 seconds and provide paramedics data, which allows
them to pinpoint the area of the heart experiencing injury or damage. In
addition, the Zoll cardiac monitor has the ability to immediately fax a
12-Lead EKG directly from the patient’s living room to the emergency
room physician. This allows the physician to make critical decisions
prior to the arrival of the patient.
These capabilities have a profound affect
on getting clot-busting medications to heart attack patients in a timely
manner. The American Heart Association (AHA) indicates reducing the
timeframe from the heart attack to the time a patient receives
clot-busting medications can significantly improve outcomes. The Zoll unit
is capable of monitoring heart rhythms, defibrillating (shocking a
fibrillating heart), pacing (speeding up a slow heart), and capnography.
 Capnography
is a tool that uses infrared technology to sense oxygen saturation levels
as well as carbon dioxide levels in the patient and makes this information
available to paramedics. Capnography can be used in cardiac arrest as well
as respiratory compromised patients. In cardiac arrest it ensures proper
placement of an endotracheal tube (breathing tube). After a breathing tube
is placed in respiratory and cardiac arrest patients, capnography helps
paramedics regulate ventilations. This ensures proper ratios of Oxygen and
CO2 are maintained in the patient’s bloodstream. Maintaining these
ratios of bloodstream gases is import to survivability of cardiac and
respiratory patients. Soon VCFS will be upgrading these units to Bi-Phasic
defibrillation capabilities. The AHA indicates that Bi-Phasic shocks
improve conversion of lethal heart rhythms.
As the First Responder in a two-tier
system, rest assured Volusia County Fire Services is dedicated in
providing pre-hospital patient care second-to-none with the most advanced
equipment available to ensure the greatest survivability for our patients.
To report incidents of neglect, exploitation, and abuse
call 1-800-96 ABUSE
For information on
Countywide EMS click here.
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Volusia County, Florida.
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