DARLINGTON - The City of Darlington Police Department and Rural Medical Ambulance Service have partnered under the 2015 Wisconsin Act 113 to provide emergency medical services to Darlington area citizens, according to a news release from Darlington Police Chief Jason King. The 2015 Wisconsin Act 113 went into effect 18 months ago and lowered state requirements on ambulance staffing from two Emergency Medical Technicians to one, provided the EMT is partnered with an Emergency Medical Responder. An EMR, also known as a First Responder, is part of the EMS system but has less training than an EMT.
The act was signed into law in November 2015 by Gov. Scott Walker in response to statewide shortages of volunteers in the EMS industry. Many EMS organizations, including RMAS, were struggling to fulfill state-mandated staffing requirements because citizens could not commit to sacrificing the 180 hours needed to become licensed EMTs, the release said. The EMR course, on the other hand, is only 60 hours and teaches lifesaving skills like operating a cardiac defibrillator, inserting simple and advanced airways, using an epinephrine auto injector, bleeding control, CPR, cervical spinal immobilization, taking vital signs and oxygen administration.
According to King, who is an EMT, the change in state law made this new partnership between his department and RMAS more affordable and practical.
"Having been in EMS and law enforcement for over two decades, I realize the benefit of police officers being cross-trained in EMS," King wrote in the news release. "After all, police officers are almost always the first people on the scene of medical calls in Darlington. However, in the past, we simply could not afford the time nor money to send officers to the 180-hour course. Now, under the new law, it is feasible."
After the new law passed, RMAS and DPD began discussing the idea of a partnership whereby police officers could help form crews for RMAS in the event of volunteer shortages. RMAS requested Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to host an EMR training course in Darlington during the summer of 2016, which all Darlington Police Officers, and some Darlington citizens, attended. Officers completed their training and National Registry testing in the fall of 2016 and the new partnership was in full swing at the start of 2017. RMAS paid for the training.
The partnership has already proven valuable, according to the release, as officers have assisted RMAS on calls in Darlington, Gratiot and Willow Springs so far in 2017. The partnership has not affected policing services and King does not anticipate it will. A typical EMS call lasts about 45 minutes and the Sheriff's Office has indicated a willingness to help by responding to police calls in Darlington in the rare event an officer is unavailable due to an EMS call.
As far as patient care is concerned, the new law does not result in a decrease in quality of care, the release said. An EMT will still be required to be the primary patient caregiver while the EMR will assist. The new law allowing people - and in this case, police officers - who are certified EMRs to take the place of an EMT will help ensure an ambulance will still respond to emergencies in the RMAS district even if only one EMT is available.
RMAS provides emergency medical services to the City of Darlington, Village of Gratiot and seven other municipalities in Lafayette County, covering more than 200 square miles. The service, which responds to more than 300 emergencies annually, runs with 16 volunteers and two ambulances. To learn more about being a part of RMAS, call 608-776-EMTS.
The act was signed into law in November 2015 by Gov. Scott Walker in response to statewide shortages of volunteers in the EMS industry. Many EMS organizations, including RMAS, were struggling to fulfill state-mandated staffing requirements because citizens could not commit to sacrificing the 180 hours needed to become licensed EMTs, the release said. The EMR course, on the other hand, is only 60 hours and teaches lifesaving skills like operating a cardiac defibrillator, inserting simple and advanced airways, using an epinephrine auto injector, bleeding control, CPR, cervical spinal immobilization, taking vital signs and oxygen administration.
According to King, who is an EMT, the change in state law made this new partnership between his department and RMAS more affordable and practical.
"Having been in EMS and law enforcement for over two decades, I realize the benefit of police officers being cross-trained in EMS," King wrote in the news release. "After all, police officers are almost always the first people on the scene of medical calls in Darlington. However, in the past, we simply could not afford the time nor money to send officers to the 180-hour course. Now, under the new law, it is feasible."
After the new law passed, RMAS and DPD began discussing the idea of a partnership whereby police officers could help form crews for RMAS in the event of volunteer shortages. RMAS requested Southwest Wisconsin Technical College to host an EMR training course in Darlington during the summer of 2016, which all Darlington Police Officers, and some Darlington citizens, attended. Officers completed their training and National Registry testing in the fall of 2016 and the new partnership was in full swing at the start of 2017. RMAS paid for the training.
The partnership has already proven valuable, according to the release, as officers have assisted RMAS on calls in Darlington, Gratiot and Willow Springs so far in 2017. The partnership has not affected policing services and King does not anticipate it will. A typical EMS call lasts about 45 minutes and the Sheriff's Office has indicated a willingness to help by responding to police calls in Darlington in the rare event an officer is unavailable due to an EMS call.
As far as patient care is concerned, the new law does not result in a decrease in quality of care, the release said. An EMT will still be required to be the primary patient caregiver while the EMR will assist. The new law allowing people - and in this case, police officers - who are certified EMRs to take the place of an EMT will help ensure an ambulance will still respond to emergencies in the RMAS district even if only one EMT is available.
RMAS provides emergency medical services to the City of Darlington, Village of Gratiot and seven other municipalities in Lafayette County, covering more than 200 square miles. The service, which responds to more than 300 emergencies annually, runs with 16 volunteers and two ambulances. To learn more about being a part of RMAS, call 608-776-EMTS.