OCEAN CITY, Md. -- The Ocean City Fire Department has introduced a new staffing model and paramedic engines. The hope is this will lead to faster response times, more on-site medical attention and more lives saved.
OCFD has two paramedic engines, one stationed at the South end of town at Fire Headquarters on 15th street. The other is a 15 minute drive North at Fire Station 4.
The new staffing model is a two person medic unit to go along with a three person paramedic engine.
"The paramedic engines that we’re placing in service, they are really providing multiple roles," said OCFD Fire Chief Richard Bowers. "Not only able to respond to any fire rescue related calls, but now also equipped with ALS or advanced life support equipment."
The paramedics onboard the engines are certified to support advanced life support to any emergency. While the new model and engines were rolled out on Monday, Steven Twilley, a lieutenant and paramedic with OCFD, said they've already been put to good use at an incident on Tuesday.
"We had three paramedics there right away, one person was in the back of the ambulance setting up stuff while the other two were assisting getting the patient out," said Twilley.
Twilley said it's a huge help having more hands on deck and gives himself and the other staff the ability to quickly bounce ideas off one another.
Both paramedic engines are fitted with fire fighting equipment, like air packs, dive gear and medical equipment. Bowers said that equipment and the new model gives the OCFD more to work with.
"It strengthens the depth on the bench basically and allows us to be more available, more ready and able to respond to additional calls," said Bowers.
After arriving to a scene, staff on a paramedic engine can start care but do not transport. The medic units are responsible for transporting a patient, but Bowers said the key is how quickly the engines can make their way to an emergency.
"It is a huge difference in someone's life if you're able to do certain things at the scene versus a transport time of maybe 15, 20, or 30 minutes," said Bowers.
OCFD said the new units are available 24/7, and have arrived just in time for the busy summer months. The department will also be adding 12 new full-time staff members this year, allowing them to keep these new units running well beyond the summer months.