I have some question about our EMT abilities, where is the best place to start? Pick up the phone?

I am wondering things like:
Do we always have one on duty?
Do they come from other cities or here in Anna?
What is typical response time?
Do we have access to things such as Anti-venom...thinking we are still pretty rural here. If not, where is the closest access? There is time to spare with this so not too worried, just valuable information
How are the buses equiped?

I am just thinking, that things such an Epi Pen may not be such a bad idea living so far out or really for any family anywhere. Most things we can scoop and run ourselves, even with 15 min drive. But heart attacks and anaphylactic shock are a no go...and response time would very be important here as well.

May sound a little over the top, but this is very real. When we lived in Dallas we had 3 very real needs for 911, one a house electrical fire but the other two were medical. You dont realize how quickly you need help, good help, til it happens to you! And you quickly forget, why I am just thinking to ask now well after the move

Scout, our AFD has paramedics.  You could certainly give them a call at the station and anyone there can help assure you of your safety!  Our FD is AWESOME!!  You can reach them @ 972-924-2143.

When we lived in rual Princeton...about 10 years ago my hubby got stung by some bees.  We did not know he was allergic and he went into anaphylactic shock!...He was out, white as a ghost..cold clamy skin.  As soon as I saw his reaction to the stings I was on the phone to 911...He stopped breathing..I was terrified.  She walked me through CPR cause I was blank as to what to do...He started breathing and then throwing up. This was the scariest time of my life ever.  I remember like it was yesterday.  EMT's came from Honey Grove..they could not find my house and took them 45 minutes...I was appauled...and to top that off..they had no idea where the hospital was in McKinney.  They had to follow me!!!!...And then..the hospital acted like it was not big deal that he had this reaction...I felt he should stay over night so they could monitor him..but they sent him home!!...My god, he wasn't breating you idiots...So I stayed up all night watching him making sure he was OK and didn't let him out of my site for 2 days.  Since then, he has gotten stung, but never had another reacation.  But we still keep a fresh epi-pen just in case.

You never know what could happen.  Anyone can develop allergies to anything at anytime..I always thought I would be able to stay calm in a situation like this and think clearly as to what to do.  I was so wrong...I panicked and was blank.  Thank god for the the 911 operator.

Scout,

I realize that this is very late, but I have just registered.  As fer as "on duty" personell, we have a fire marshal and teo firefighters at the station Monday through Friday, 8 to 5.  One of our paid FFs is a paremedic and the other is an EMT.  In the evenings and on the weekends, the FD is staffed by volunteers, myself included.  I am a PM and there is another in school about to finish.  We also have several EMTs and have just recently attained ICLS certification for the department.  What that means is that any AFD member trained to EMT-I or EMT-P level will be able to perform advanced life saving procedures under the guidelines set forth by AMR. The ambulance service in the county.  There is an ambulance based in our station, but they also cover Melissa, Westminister, Weston, and at times Blue Ridge and Princeton.  There may be a time when the ambulance has a long way to go to get to town, but the majority of the time, they are fairly close.

I have been on the department for close to six years now and have seen people very upset at us when we get on scene.  What many people dont realize is that WE ARE VOLUNTEERS.  There are times when we gather at the station for dinner, meetings, or to socialize.  But we are not there 24/7.  We have families, homes, and lives outside the FD.  In other words, it might seem like a long time untill we get there, but be assured we are on the way.  Sometimes we have to get to the station first.

When I first joined, there was one career FF on staff, two PMs and four EMTs, all volunteers.  Six years later, we have three employees of our own, myself and another are career FFs at other big city departments, soon to be 7 PMs,8 emts, 5 guys who are state certified FFs, another 6 going through the volunteer fire academy at CCCCD in mckinney.  We have also gained new trucks, bunker gear and equipment that we did without before. We have come a long way and have lofty goals for the department. But since progress can be slow, please know we are improving the best we can.

If you have any more question about the department, feel free to ask and I will answer as soon as I can.