The Kent Fire Department Regional Fire Authority started on Nov. 5 to provide a new type of non-emergency medical assistance that will increase the level of care for residents.
The Fire Department Community Assistance, Referral, and Education Services (FDCARES) division was developed several years ago to provide better non-emergency medical assistance to the community and connect residents with the health care and social services they need, according to a Kent Fire Department media release.
A new development in FDCARES is an 18-month pilot program which places a registered nurse with a firefighter on a cost effective vehicle to respond 24/7 to 911 calls that are determined to be "non-emergent" by Valley Communications, the 911 call receiving center for South King County.
In addition, the nurse/firefighter team will also provide proactive home visits to residents who previously had relied on the 911 system for their primary medical care. The goal of the program is to build healthier communities by delivering the right care, at the right place, at the right time, for the right cost.
FDCARES already has a vehicle staffed by two firefighters which responds to similar types of calls, but will be able to provide a higher level of care by replacing one of the firefighters with a registered nurse. A total of four nurses are part of this pilot program, which is funded by grants and community partnerships.