Sirens, sirens, sirens and more sirens.

[Vanessa]

From early morning thru late into the night, there are sirens, sirens and more sirens.

This may have already been covered but why does a huge fire truck go out on a call when someone falls down and can’t get up? Wouldn’t it be a lot less expensive to send 2 paramedics in 1 small ambulance?

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[WSB]

The ambulances are run by a private company, AMR, called in if someone needs transport in a non-major injury/illness situation; there is usually one hovering somewhere in the West Seattle area.

Medics/paramedics, who are city employees, go out on Fire Department equipment, and the fire engines/trucks are what are available – there is only one medic unit (which is used for cases more serious than can be handled by private ambulances) in this entire area, and it goes out on higher-level calls.

An engine is usually the default for an aid or medic call, but sometimes Ladder 11 (the only big ladder truck in this area) is all that’s available, and so it goes.

If you don’t already know about this log, it will give you an address and a nature of call (aid response is low-level medical, medic response is mid-level, medic response 7 per is “might need resuscitation”) for all SFD dispatches citywide. If it’s “green” the call hasn’t “closed” (been resolved, which could mean transporting a patient) yet; if it’s blue, it has.

http://www2.cityofseattle.net/fire/realTime911/getRecsForDatePub.asp?action=Today&incDate=&rad1=des

TR

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[trickycoolj]

I find the west side crews so courteous! The fire trucks that respond to High Point always turn off the sirens when they come into the neighborhood after dark. Such a refreshing change from where I lived in Northgate, between the fire station and I-5 where they would barrel down my residential street to shortcut from Northgate Way to the side entrance to I-5 for early morning freeway calls before anyone was awake.

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[clulessinws]

I’ve noticed sirens multiple times, every day for the last 15 years plus/minus. I guess it could be for broken hips but plenty of crime too based on wsb reports. Getting old. Don’t see why people want to live here and listen to it.

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[whalewatcher]

It’s a tiered response system; the closest vehicle responds first.The fire stations have the vehicles that can get to people fastest. There are fewer higher level response vehicles, covering more territory.

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