Although all calls for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the City of Torrance include one of the department's four Advanced Life Support (ALS) paramedic units, there are times when a Fire Department Basic Life Support (BLS) unit staffed with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) will be the first to be dispatched and the first to arrive at the scene. This situation occurs in the "first-in" districts where dedicated paramedic units are not located, or when the paramedic unit in a first in district is already committed to an emergency. Since it is critical for patients to receive help as quickly as possible, the closest fire department resource is dispatched to a call in addition to the closest paramedic unit.

The Torrance Fire Department conducted a trial program with one BLS/EMT staffed engine company to determine the viability of EMT-Defibrillation capability in our EMS environment. Fire Department personnel readily adapted to this additional skill, the equipment worked flawlessly, and the added capability blended smoothly with the rest of our EMS system.

The Fire Department's internal EMT instructors have been upgraded to teach this skill and all Fire Department field personnel are trained to provide EMT Defibrillation.

This enhancement to our EMS system provides the shortest possible elapsed time to defibrillation possible in the pre-hospital setting, further enhancing patient survival probability. In addition, this resource enhances the Fire Department's ability to handle multiple EMS events and multi-patient events.

• Safer City Initiative
• 12 Lead Electrocardiogram