Fire Department - Paramedic Services

When a medical problem threatens a person's life, that is an emergency, and it's critical that you call for help. Examples of medical problems that endanger life are:

Call the Santa Monica Fire Department emergency number 9-1-1. Our emergency service provides paramedic service to all people within in the City of Santa Monica. When you call, be sure to give the dispatcher accurate information. You should be able to answer the following questions:

ICE Your Cell Phone

In Case of Emergency: It could save your life and notify loved ones.

If you can’t tell paramedics who you are, your cell phone can help emergency responders and healthcare workers to identify you and notify your loved ones.

Just program your cell phone’s telephone book with the codeword “ICE” (In Case of Emergency):

1. Open your cell phone telephone book to create a new entry. Instead of entering the name of a person, enter the word “ICE”.

2. Enter the phone number of the person you would want contacted in an emergency. To list multiple contacts, name the entries ICE1, ICE2, and so on.

Santa Monica Fire Department

Emergency Medical Services

& Paramedic Program

The Santa Monica Fire Department takes great pride in the high level of emergency medical services provided to our community. The SMFD EMS and Paramedic program strives to provide the community with quality patient care & superior customer service. Emergency medical care is delivered by a team of firefighter paramedics and firefighter EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians) working together. Approximately 78% of emergency responses are medical in nature. All firefighters must possess EMT certification at the minimum. Over half of the firefighters are licensed as paramedics. All EMTs and paramedics are also firefighters which allows the Fire Department to provide a full service response to the community. Whether a medical emergency, fire, traffic collision, or any other emergency, our firefighters can handle it.

History of Our Paramedic Program

On August 28, 1973, Council Resolution 4410 was adopted. This resolution directed the City Manager to prepare an application for a Grant under the Emergency Medical Services System Act of 1973. This was the beginning of the Paramedic Program in the City of Santa Monica. The first group of 6 SMFD Firefighters attended Paramedic Training in 1974. Upon completion, they were assigned to Engine 4 as the first & only paramedic unit in the city. It is worth noting that SMFD was the first fire department in the nation to deliver paramedic services via a fire engine company. Eventually 3 additional engine companies were staffed with paramedics. In February 1981, 2 rescue ambulances staffed with 2 Firefighter/Paramedics were added.

The fire department sends paramedics on almost all medical calls to ensure the community has access to paramedic level care if needed. The dispatch center provides callers with Emergency Medical Dispatch which includes pre-arrival instructions including how to help a victim who is choking and how to do CPR.

Paramedic Staffing

Currently we have approximately 50 licensed paramedics and 48 certified EMTs working for the Fire Department. The training program to become a paramedic requires over 1100 hours of didactic, clinical and field internship as well as successful completion of National Registry testing. Paramedic licenses are renewed every two years. Continuing education is also required for both paramedics and EMTs. Paramedics must obtain a minimum of 48 hours every two years and EMTs must obtain 24 hours every two years. Education in EMS is provided in house by a Registered Nurse.

Each fire station in the city has at least one paramedic unit assigned, and some have 2 paramedic units.

Station	Paramedic Units	Other Units
Station1 – 1444 7^th St.	Rescue 121 Engine 121	Truck 121 RU 121 Battalion Chief
Station 2 – 222 Hollister	Rescue 122	Engine 122 Urban Search & Rescue Unit 122
Station 3 – 1302 19^th St.	Engine 123 Engine 124	Hazardous Material Unit 124
Station 5 – 2450 Ashland	Engine 125	Aircraft Rescue 125

Paramedic Services

In addition to a full scope of basic and advanced life support, SMFD Paramedics also have other life saving equipment available. Paramedics are able to do a 12 Lead Electrocardiogram to determine if the patient is having a certain type of heart attack. Paramedics are able to send the ECG to the hospital so the doctors and nurses can be ready to immediately treat the patient. Paramedics also carry a machine called CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). This device is particularly useful for patients having trouble breathing. Paramedics also carry a state of the art cardiac monitor/defibrillator that is also capable of serving as an external pacemaker if needed.

Transportation
If a patient requires transportation to a hospital, a private ambulance contractor is used. If the medical emergency requires advanced life support, the Santa Monica Fire Department Paramedic will accompany the patient in the ambulance.

PAD Program
The City has an established Public Access Defibrillation Program which consists of approximately 34 Automated External Defibrillators (AED) strategically placed throughout the city in public and City owned buildings. The fire department provides training to City employees in CPR and AED use.

EMS Program Staff

The EMS program is part of the Support Services Division. EMS staff are located at the Public Safety Facility, second floor. Assigned to EMS are a Battalion Chief, Paramedic Coordinator, EMS Nurse Educator and an Administrative Assistant. The fire department also contracts for the services of a Medical Director who provides medical oversight for the EMS program.

Our emergency medical service providers are always on duty for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365
days a year.