Portland Fire and Rescue Truck 3 Medic Run From Station 3

[ColinFWheeler]

Thanks! I'm glad you like them. I'll try to add more PF&R vids.

[RDG484]

VERY nice. 1:18 from beginning of dispatch until truck starts moving. THAT'S quick!!

[ColinFWheeler]

Thanks. Yes, from my experience, Portland F&R FFs are pretty speedy in manning the apparatus and leaving the station.

[Carlton007]

whoa great insight in your comments

[trailthumper]

great vids. Finally we get to see some Seattle and Portland vids. In Portland, why does the truck get dispatched first to an EMS call instead of the engine? I have seen several vids where the engine was IQ and the Truck got dispatched. Where I'm from, the engine is first up for EMS calls, if it's housed w/ a truck co.

[ColinFWheeler]

Hi and thanks for the compliment and question. In Seattle, EMS response order is the way you describe it ... for a BLS call, a station w/ an Aid unit, Engine, and Ladder, would go out in that order. Ladder would only get dispatched on an EMS call if the Aid and Engine in the stn were unavailable. I asked the PF&R FFs about this ... it's because on calls requiring ALS care, dispatch will send the company that has the most ALS trained personnel that day ... for example, when I was at ...

[ColinFWheeler]

(cont.) ... PF&R stn 13, the Engine had all BLS staff that day, while the Truck had at least one ALS trained paramedic. Consequently, the Engine went on BLS calls while the Truck went on ALS calls.

[pdxparamedic]

The system alternates runs between the engine and the truck, or the engine and the rescue, etc. At one point there was a distinction in responses (ALS vs BLS), but currently there is no distinction and the dispatch computer sends the closest medic unit and the closest fire apparatus.

[apolloman62285]

hey trailhumper ive been a cadet firefighter for portland and the main reason for why the truck went out insead of the engine is alot of the time stations in portland get tapped out alot sending the engine to various calls so PFR decided a while back to make all engines in portland als and trucks bls when the engine is out on a run the truck goes in its place. that and portland doesnt have its own ems service in the fire department like most states do.

[yjcooke]

Great Portland vids. I hope you're going to keep adding these dispatch/response videos.

[ColinFWheeler]

Thanks a lot. I'll be moving to Dallas, TX soon, so will do some of the busier DFD stations eventually (e.g., 11, 18, 34). May be a few months before I get a chance to do this though. I'm going to try do Seattle FD stations 17 and 18 believe I leave, as well as Portland F&R stations 4, 7 and 25 at some point. Thanks again for the nice compliment.