Use this toolkit to help educate the public, the media and your members on Fire-Based Community Healthcare Providers (FBCHP) or “community paramedicine” – a concept that could enhance existing EMSsystems by coordinating with other health care providers to improve patient care, reduce expenses and be self-sustaining.
Read about the IAFF support for FBCHPs through resolution action and find other important guides and studies under Resources.
See which fire departments are currently using Fire-Based Community Healthcare Providers in their communities under Programs.
Find studies and policies on community paramedicine under Health Care System Guidance.
Over the years, fire-based EMS has undergone changes that have effectively broadened the work of EMTs and paramedics to meet needs that previously were only provided by hospitals. But in today’s environment of increased responsibilities and decreasing budgets, fire department leaders must constantly evaluate and justify current systems and be prepared to propose changes to protect the quality of publicly funded fire-based EMS systems. FBCHPsprovide new ways to deliver out-of-hospital care and can help keep fire-based EMSeconomically viable.
