VIDEO: The Ames Fire Department is stepping up its level of care to the community.
Firefighters often arrive before paramedics in an emergency. Now, rather than waiting for medical intervention, crews can start caring for people right away.
Every fire service is certified to a level of care they're able to provide. Ames Fire is moving up a rank from basic care to EMT certification.
That means by 2022, each fire truck that goes out will have an EMT on board. More of their firefighters are now learning new skills, like how to administer Narcan in an opioid overdose and how to stop severe bleeding with a tourniquet.
Chief Rich Higgins says the move has been a long time coming.
"The expectation that our citizens will have is when we show up come January first, you're getting EMT emergency medical service, which is a higher standard of medical care," Higgins said.