Montgomery county EMS.

[Q-ball]

Ok, im ama aware that the topics of QRS units and other similar topics have been discussed already, that being said, is there a way to tell which ems squads in the county are actually medics..and which are emt's?...i usually only notice a common one in my area which is medic 308(ply. ambulance)....that means they are actualy medics with knowledge of opening airways and defibriliators...and more ALS things right?...also, are the montco. QRS units the equivalent of an ALS chase car?....if the ambulance doesnt say "bls" on the side, can it still be assumed to be a "bls" unit?...i know "bls" and "als" carry different equipment. it is accurate to say that in montgomery county and the surrounding counties, the the term "chase car" refers to a QRS unit?..

 

[scanjunkie]

QRS units are Quick Response Units and can be BLS or ALS. In the true sense of the meaning, an ALS crew consists of an EMT and a Paramedic. A Paramedic can not be an ALS crew by themselves...they need an EMT to complete the crew. Juts like a single EMT can not be a BLS crew by themselves, they need another EMT, Medic, or First Responder with them. The only squad in the county that is full time BLS is Green Lane (328). All other squads are ALS providers. Altough, they may also run a BLS crew from time to time as well. Usually when responding on the radio a BLS crew will say "Basic 308 responding." ALS units will usually say "Medic 308 responding." These designations are not always used when responding. When a crew starts a shift they call their status into the county, so the county knows what they are when they respond. For example, If I am working on an ALS crew from 6a to 6p, I will call the county at the beginning of the shift and tell them that we have an ALS crew up until 6p(1800) and we are in the #2 truck. So when we go responding in the #2 truck the county knows we are ALS.

Hope this helps...

 

[scanjunkie]

Also, the QRS unit is basically designed to be a unit to respond right away, get to the scene, size it up, and let the incoming units know what they have and start pt. care. They are not really ALS chase cars persay.

 

[MedicCop]

By the confines of Act 45, a QRS cannot be ALS...if it were, it would be an "ALS Squad" (Medic Responder). Just so everyone is aware, there are 5 types of licenses that the DOH issues...QRS, BLS, ALS Mobile Care, ALS Squad, and Air Ambulance.

 

[CommJunkie]

How can a Paramedic not be an ALS provider without an EMT? The MEDIC is the ALS provider, and the EMT is the BLS provider. A medic can start a line and use a heart monitor with or without an EMT present. The lone medic response vehicles do not have to wait for or carry an EMT with them to be able to use their skills!

QRS units are not "designed" to size up anything. They are designed to respond quickly to assist the patient, hence, Quick Response Service

 

[scanjunkie]

How can a Paramedic not be an ALS provider without an EMT? The MEDIC is the ALS provider, and the EMT is the BLS provider. A medic can start a line and use a heart monitor with or without an EMT present. The lone medic response vehicles do not have to wait for or carry an EMT with them to be able to use their skills!

QRS units are not "designed" to size up anything. They are designed to respond quickly to assist the patient, hence, Quick Response Service

According to state law, a Paramedic alone is not an ALS crew. A complete crew consists of a paramedic and an EMT. Yes, a medic can do their skills, but they are not considered a complete ALS crew without an EMT. If a medic goes enroute to a call by themselves they are considered a "medic responder."

And, yes, a QRS does do a size up. In most cases they arrive first on the scene. The very first thing anyone does when they arrive on a scene is do a size up. If they become aware of dangers or other services that may be needed they can advise the incoming crew and/or the county. If it is safe to do so, the QRS will proceed into the scene and start patient care. They may not be "designed" specifically to do size ups, but it is most certainly their job if they arrive on scene first.

 

[MissSusie]

Montgomery County, PA EMS & Paramedic Questions

Hi... I've been in home health-care for years (since '91/'92) & have also worked as a nurse assistant in med/surg... I've always wanted to be a doctor (but that won't happen) and have just recently begun looking into becoming a medic (which could really, really happen!). Local EMT classes - just learned I have to do that first - are just around the corner but before I go ahead with this (I have no idea about pay or benefits or jobs, or - anything), I thought I'd check online. I don't know anyone in the field, either; does anyone have any suggestions, recommendations, advice, instruction? I'll appreciate any & all!