AMHERST FIRE / RESCUE
Amherst Fire District fire and rescue personnel respond to any call for assistance within the district, including structure, grass, brush, and forest fires, all types of rescue situations, calls for emergency medical assistance, carbon monoxide alarms, missing citizens, down power lines, traffic control at accident scenes, and even the occasional stuck cat.
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For rescue responses, the Amherst Fire District operates two rescue squads. Rescue 1 is equipped for general rescue (vehicle, farm, ice and cold water, etc.) and Rescue 2 is equipped for specialized rescue such as confined space, high angle, collapse and more. Normally, the rescue company is supported by at least one engine company during rescue responses. A “company” in fire terminology means a specific apparatus (such as an engine or a rescue squad) with a three or four person crew.
The specific response order of equipment will depend on the nature of the incident.
The Amherst Fire District operates three fire engines. One engine (Engine 10) is equipped with a 65 foot aerial boom.
To support the engines on rural fires, where we do not have fire hydrants, we also operate two water supply tenders. These tenders provide us with our initial water supply and are the ongoing water source for rural fires (they will carry water from the designated water source to the scene for the duration of the incident).
58 MEDIC 1 -ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT
Amherst Fire District has a 4-way agreement between Portage County, The Village of Plover Fire Department and Stevens Point Fire Department.
In March of 2018 the Amherst based ambulance upgraded to the One Paramedic level, running with one Paramedic and EMT (or Higher) provider on board. The ambulance is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a combination of full time and part time employees.
EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONDERS
The Amherst Fire District First Responders are emergency medical responders that respond directly from home to all types of emergency scenes. On emergency medical calls the First Responders typically will arrive in advance of the ambulance and begin scene stabilization and patient care. Once the ambulance arrives patient care will be transitioned to the ambulance crew, with the First Responders assisting. All of the First Responders are trained to at least the EMT-Basic level of training.
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Normally, the First Responders will remain in the area and available while the ambulance transports the patient to one of our receiving hospitals (normally St. Michael’s Hospital in Stevens Point, WI or Riverside Medical Center in Waupaca, WI). While our ambulance is involved in the transport, the First Responders are available to respond. If another ambulance call is received while our ambulance is involved in the transport of a patient, our First Responders will respond and work with an ambulance from a neighboring community.
If needed, one of the First Responders will “join” the two-person ambulance crew at the scene and remain with the ambulance through the entire treatment and transport process. This allows for two patient care personnel to be with the patient during the transport to the hospital while the third drives the ambulance.
On other emergency scenes, the First Responders will provide patient care as needed, support operations, or provide care and support for fire/rescue personnel. First Responders are on call for 12 hours shifts, using either a department vehicle or their personal vehicle. During the 12 hour shift, the on-call First Responders must stay within the response area and be available to respond.
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For More Information or to Become a Emergency Medical Responder Contact:
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