When an ambulance is called, why does the fire truck ALWAYS follow?

Answer 1

The fire truck in this instance is called an "assist company". They are dispatched with the ambulance to assist the paramedics. Sometimes they are needed for lifting help. Sometimes for spinal immobilization. Sometimes the truck has special equipment to help extricate a person from machinary. They can also be used for CPR. Hope this answered your question.

Answer 2

A fire truck usually follows an ambulance incase there are signs of a fire sometimes they don't know all the details so the fire truck is almost always called out to be on the safe side

Answer 3

It depends entirely on the system your in. In a lot of systems yes and ambulance and fire truck both show up on medical calls because the fire department and ambulance are under one department. They are duly trained as both firemen and EMT/medics so both show up on calls. Other areas the ambulance is dispatched and they request a firetruck for assistance either for a lift assist or because its a cardiac arrest or critical call in which they need more hands to get everything done reasonably and prudently. Hope this helps.

Answer 4

Fire trucks do not always follow, especially in the small and rural towns I grew up in. Maybe they have nothing better to do!

But seriously, if it is needed or the situation is unclear on what is going on, the dispatcher may send the fire rescue and police to help check out the situation.

Answer 5

Where I live, all fire fighters are also paramedics, and most of the times since there are so many fire stations, stationed throughout the city, the fire dept. is usually the first ones at an emergency scene. Especially when it comes to vehicle crashes, the chance of a fire, but overall because for the most part they are the first ones there and are trained paramedics.

Answer 6

Because the fire officials are trained in life saving techniques that could help save a patient those extra couple minutes until the ambulance arrives.

Answer 7

I have great experience with this situation. You really want to know why? Its because fire department's must justify their existence to city goverment. Especially when it comes to budget time.
Here...let me amplify further. You see, police don't usually have to worry about justifying their existence because crime is self generated. Officers can take the initiave and address problems like moving violations, preventitive patrols to foil burglaries and such however fireman have nothing to do. That is..their function is to sit around (or sleep, lift weights, eat, watch TV, etc) for a fire to start before they become useful to the public. So...rather than show the city council that the public has been paying "X" amount of dollars for a bunch of guys hanging around a building all day and night for a fire to start, they have to go to medical calls. if anything to show that they're serving some useful purpose. Of course...ever wonder what it runs to have a 4 ton truck fired up and gulping diesel fuel by the gallon every time they go out for some drunk, diabetic reaction or other injury, heart attack, etc? Especially with a pumper truck.
Now granted a firetruck is necessary at auto accidents for fluid spills, blood washdowns and cutting the roofs off of cars or cutting the battery cables to a wrecked car. Other than that....taking a pumper truck to a medical call is the same as driving a Sherman tank to the grocery store. its just not feasable.
Thats why. No other reason despite what you may read here. its just the way department heads show the need for the staffing and vehicle levels they maintain.

Answer 8

Not always. Firemen lead boring lives compared to police officers. Firemen have to sit and wait for a call while the police are constantly on the move covering their precincts or territory. When a 911 call comes in for an ambulance, sometimes the chief (in his auto) and at least one fire truck are given permission to go "joy riding" with EMS. The high speed and sirens give them goose bumps and a "high".

Answer 9

Because they're all medically trained, and there are usually only two in the ambulance; one to drive and one to work on ya. Sometimes they can use a little help.

Answer 10

maximum hearth departments have integrated interior of sight EMS amenities into their branch. maximum firefighters now must be qualified paramedics or EMTs. it will be a staffing project. even if it truly is an vehicle coincidence, there is continually the potential of spilled gasoline; ambulances don't have the flexibility to sparkling that up yet hearth autos do.