Background/Discussion
Since 1996 the Council Bluffs Fire Department has operated a Fire Based EMS system. Over the past 25 years this program has been primarily managed by the Department EMS Officer. Over that same time frame there has been many changes to both how the system operates and how we ensure we are providing the best service possible to the citizens. Today the call volume for EMS is almost three times that of what it was in 1996. All of our personnel are at minimum EMT-B’s and we currently have over 50 paramedics on the department. Over the past year we have been diving in to how to ensure we are maintaining and improving both the training of our medical personnel and their skills in the field. Due to the enormous changes and requirements that are now placed on both the EMS Officer and the Training Division to ensure we can continue to provide the highest level service possible it is our request that we add one additional Captain to the Training Division with their primary role being to ensure that we stay on the cutting edge of EMS within our Department. This position will manage and coordinate the EMS Training for the entire department and work with the EMS Officer to ensure that we have proper succession within the division. The individual also be involved in training as a whole and will ensure that we are keeping up with all of the requirements placed on our personnel by the State and Federal Government.
EMS is by far are primary role as a department. However over the last 25 years we have always treated it as an accessory. Our current strategic plan details how we would like to move to change the culture of EMS within CBFD and this position is a step in that direction. It is the Staff’s recommendation to change the authorized strength of the department from 107 to 108.