2006 Fire Levy Information

Providing Emergency Medical Services—and more

The role of the Miami Township Division of Fire/EMS has evolved dramatically since 1946, when the Division was officially formed and organized in the Township. The requests for additional services facilitated that the Division redefine its mission to include the delivery of emergency medical services.

In the beginning, firefighters were trained to administer first aid, along with the other basic life support functions. Today, Division employees are highly trained and well equipped to perform a wide array of pre-hospital patient care procedures.

The Division’s emergency medical services bureau and staff utilize the same pre-hospital protocols that all other health care providers use in the Miami Valley. We are committed to providing the highest level of training to our staff so that they can stay current with the latest procedures and protocols. Our paramedics are also required to have 92 hours of continuing education over a three year period which the Division exceeds.  We have an extensive quality assurance program which reviews calls to ensure that only the highest level of care is provided every time a Miami Township Division of Fire/EMS unit arrives at the door of our citizens to provide care.

Over the years the request for service related to emergency medical emergencies have increased.  The Division responded to approximately 2,800 emergency medical emergencies in 2005.  The forecast is for that number to continue to increase.  Because of the increased request for service and the wear on vehicles and equipment, as a result of those requests, the Division has been committed to keeping the vehicles and equipment the Division has implemented an aggressive preventative maintenance and replacement schedule.  Our ambulances last approximately seven years.  At the current time a new medic costs approximately $142,000.00 dollars.  For a vehicle to function as an emergency medical services vehicle it requires specialize equipment.  One such item is a defibrillator.  A new defibrillator costs approximately $23,000.00 dollars. This technology is carried on each of the four (4) ambulances owned and operated by the Division.  One use of these units is to deliver an electrical shock to a patient who is in cardiac arrest.  Early defibrillation has been proven to save lives and the new devices have allowed us to delivery efficient cardiac care prior to delivery the patient to the hospital.

The Division continually evaluates new equipment and technology to ensure that the best in patient care is provided to our patients.  One such example is the currently replacement of cots, stair chairs, and other equipment that has higher patient-carry capabilities, in order to deal with the growing problem of obesity in the United States.

The Miami Township Division of Fire/EMS - Emergency Medical Service Bureau prides itself on being a leader in the Miami Valley in the level of service that is provided through our highly trained and dedicated staff. We feel that our commitment shows in everything we do!