Chester County Fire Department adds medical responders

The Chester County Fire Department added the Emergency Medical Responders (EMR) program on Oct. 21. EMRs are a first responder unit that responds when available and properly dispatched to the scene of a medical emergency to provide emergency medical care until the arrival of an ambulance unit. Chester County EMRs will be dispatched to the following calls: motor vehicle accidents with injuries, unresponsive individual, individual with cardiac arrest or suspected cardiac arrest, individual with chest pain, industrial accidents, any emergent call where the ambulance response is greater than six minutes, any other incident not listed above where loss of life and/or limb is possible and any other type of major trauma. EMRs may also be dispatched at any time at the request of Medical Center Emergency Medical Services (EMS). To become an EMR, a person must complete the schooling and take the national registry to receive a certification before official training at the station. Currently, approximately 15 out of 61 Chester County Firefighters are certified and trained EMRs. EMRs, like firefighters, serve the county voluntarily. “The people are dedicated to what they do, because they don’t get paid,” said Chester County Fire Chief Stephen Moore. “We believe in what we do and our ultimate goal is to give the best care and protection to everyone in this county, and that’s why we do it.”
The Chester County Fire Department is currently searching for both volunteer firefighters and EMRs. Donations are welcomed and go to help with the upkeep of the station/maintenance issues to better help the community in a time of crisis. For more information, call the Chester County Fire station at 983-5570 or visit their Facebook page online at facebook.com/ChesterTNFD.