WARSAW, Ind. – When a person has a health emergency or is involved in an accident, every second counts. That is why the Warsaw Wayne Fire Territory is stepping up to make sure their time with patients matters.
 

During the board of public works meeting, Fire Chief Mike Brubaker told the council he wants all of his department to be E.M.T. trained so that when they are first responders they can take better care of their patients.

“It would be hard for him to sleep at night knowing that we could have helped somebody and we were not able to because we were not at that certification level,” said Warsaw Fire Lieutenant Travis Rowland.

Rowland says his chief was worried about the five or six minutes it can take for their multi-township E.M.S. partners to show up after his fire crew first responds to an accident.

“There are certain things we can do being at the first responder level.”

But some of the E.M.T. certified firefighters can do much more to help a patient.

“We would be able to have the oral glucose. We would be able to administer baby aspirins for someone that is having chest pains for a possible heart attack.  I would also be able to use a tube to establish an airway,” said Rowland.

Currently there are 14 E.M.T. certified firefighters on the Warsaw Department, but now the chief is making the rest of his crew get certified.

“We have fifteen guys signed up for the class at this time to get the E.M.T. certifications,” said Rowland.

The Lieutenant says with his department covering an area of almost 25,000 people, this additional training could help his fire crew save lives.

“Everything we do to help save a life is better for us and better for the patients that we serve.

The E.M.T. classes will begin March 5th and will finish up August 15th.