The fire department operates the emergency ambulance for the city and surrounding rural area covering approximately 150 square miles with an average response time to anywhere within city limits of 4 minutes or less. Many of the same procedures performed in the emergency room can be accomplished in the field only sooner. Both first out ambulances contain two emergency medical technicians, at least one trained to the Paramedic level allowing them to perform many procedures and administer certain medications that many services cannot offer. The EMS department is in constant contact with emergency room physicians giving medical direction to the EMT’s for public care.
