BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The Kern County Fire Department is expanding the services it provides to the community.
KCFD has now added medic squads to their ranks, which will be staffed with firefighter paramedics and deployed in the unincorporated areas of Oildale and Rosamond. These two communities were chosen based on their high call volume, which KCFD says is more than 10,000 calls per year.
KCFD said the paramedics who will make up these new teams are highly trained and are capable of administering advanced life support.
“There will be two firefighters staffing that medics squad, and it is a different apparatus than the normal fire engine,” said Capt. Andrew Freeborn with KCFD. “So, with these new medic squads being deployed, we are seeing more apparatus out in the field, as well as adding more firefighters out into our response area.”
According to KCFD, the medic squad saved a life Wednesday. Additionally, four lives were saved during a previous trial period of the medic squad concept.
Medic squads are made possible with funding from Measure K.
