Rescue Ambulances
The Pasadena Fire Department operates Advanced Life Support (ALS) Rescue Ambulances (“RAs”), the units dispatched to 911 medical calls, out of six of their eight fire stations, staffed by two firefighter paramedics. One of the four main missions of the EMS Reserve is to provide volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians to work on these Rescue Ambulances alongside the two paid firefighter paramedics, thereby creating a 3-person team.
During normal operations, the Pasadena Fire Department will, at a minimum, send a Rescue Ambulance and Paramedic Engine to most 911 medical calls. Should the attending firefighter paramedic need assistance in treating the patient en route to a hospital, a member of the Engine will accompany the Rescue Ambulance crew, with the Engine following the ambulance to the hospital. When an EMS Reserve is working, the Engine does not need to assign a member to the Ambulance, does not need to follow to the hospital, and can quickly clear the scene, becoming available for service (unless an additional paramedic is needed).
In the case of larger incidents, such as fires, traffic collisions and multi-casualty incidents, the Incident Commander does not need to sacrifice an Engine or Truck resource for patient treatment (again, unless an additional paramedic is needed).
Since EMS Reserve members are not firefighters, and are strictly EMS focused, they can also be utilized at a fireground to provide immediate Basic Life Support (BLS) to injured victims while the firefighter paramedics are performing fire operations.