The Esquimalt Fire Department has implemented a new medic truck response model that will allow firefighters to respond to medical emergencies more efficiently.
The fire department’s medic truck is a pickup truck that will respond to medical calls and be in service when there are enough staff members.
“If it’s a call for a fall or sports injury, two people will go in the medic truck,” Esquimalt Fire Chief Steve Serbic said. “It’s a smaller vehicle. It’s easier to maneuver through traffic. It also produces less carbon emissions.”
The two members who will ride in the truck will also cross-staff a ladder truck and a rescue truck.
“It’s two people basically running three trucks, and this will depend on the call,” Serbic said. “That’s not a normal model, but we’re trying to utilize our crews as efficiently as we can because we’re smaller. They will take the ladder truck if it’s an alarms call or a commercial structure fire, and they will get on the rescue truck if it’s a motor vehicle accident.”
The new model will give the fire department the ability to respond to two events at the same time.
“This is so exciting,” Serbic added. “Esquimalt is a growing community. Our call volumes keep going up every year. There are times when we have multiple calls, and we’re unable to respond to all of them.”
This model was made possible after the town added four full-time firefighter positions to its roster. The new positions were approved by council as part of the 2023 budget.
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