Why Send A Firetruck To Do An Ambulance's Job?

  • Source: NPR.org
  • Published: 04/13/2017 12:00 AM

Let's say you think you're having a stroke and you call 911 for an ambulance. In a lot of cities across the country there's a good chance that a firetruck — with a full fire crew including a paramedic — will race to your door. But that doesn't mean they can deliver the emergency care you might need. In Chicago, like many cities, the fire department oversees both firefighters and paramedics who work on ambulances. When a medical call comes in, dispatchers usually prefer to send ambulances. But there are half as many of those as there are firetrucks. And fire department spokesman Larry Langford says those ambulances can be super busy.



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