Small Changes in ALS Deployment Net Better Coverage of County

The Prince George’s County Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department will initiate a plan to enhance Advanced Life Services (ALS) available to the citizens and residents of the County on Sunday, March 27, 2011.  The overall ALS program evaluation is continuing with a long term Work Group, however the Department is making these initial changes based on a review of the placement of ALS units throughout the County.  These changes will result in improving the overall coverage of life saving services to the entire county.  ALS units are staffed by medics that are trained at a higher level in providing emergency medical care.  Among other techniques medics are proficient in are patient airway management, starting IV’s, administering medications, interpreting EKG’s and managing cardiac emergencies in a pre-hospital environment.

Effective Sunday, March 27, 2011, the dedicated (staffed full-time) paramedic unit at Laurel Rescue Squad on Bowie Road will re-locate to the Laurel Fire/EMS Station on Cherry lane.

A medic will be assigned as a member of the engine staffing at the Largo/Kettering Fire/EMS Station located at Campus Way and Largo Road enhancing the services of the engine to include ALS.  This Paramedic Engine will be in addition to the Paramedic Unit already at that station and increases the availability of ALS along the Largo Road (Route 202)and Central Avenue (Route 214) corridors.

dedicated (staffed full-time) paramedic unit will be placed in service at the Croom Fire/EMS Station on Croom Road in Upper Marlboro.  By placing this ALS unit in-service will allow dedicated staffing for both the engine and ALS unit at the Croom Road Station.  This move will change the non-dedicated (not a full-time staffed unit) paramedic ambulance into a basic life support (BLS) ambulance at the Upper Marlboro Fire/EMS Station on Pratt Street.  The number of career firefighters at the Upper Marlboro Fire/EMS Station will not change.  This move improves the availabilty of ALS along the Crain Highway (Route 301) corridor.

Prince George’s County Acting Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor stated, “I will continue to search for ways to provide the very best in fire and emergency medical services to the citizens of this County.  With just three small adjustments in deployment of personnel I believe we have enhanced our service delivery and achieved this objective.”

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