Two NAU graduate students are working with the Flagstaff Fire Department\u00a0on a pilot program\u00a0to help\u00a0ease the demand on personnel and resources when dealing with non-emergencies.<\/p>\n
For example, up to 20\u00a0percent of all calls the\u00a0fire department responds\u00a0to are\u00a0non-emergencies related to public intoxicants, which could leave victims of severe medical emergencies at risk.<\/p>\n
Kate Yenik<\/strong>, public\u00a0administration Through the program, when calls are made to 911, dispatchers will\u00a0triage the situations\u00a0to determine\u00a0which can\u00a0be directed to CART as non-emergencies.\u00a0Rather than sending a fire truck and ambulance\u00a0with lights and sirens, dispatchers will send the alternative truck with two fully\u00a0trained EMTs on board.\u00a0If EMTs determine the situation to be an emergency, they will dispatch\u00a0an\u00a0ambulance\u00a0to transport the individual to the hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cPart of the scope of this whole program is to increase our customer service by keeping three of our busiest frontline engines in service to respond to true life-threatening medical emergencies,\u201d said\u00a0Capt.\u00a0Kevin Wilson of the Flagstaff Fire Department.<\/p>\n CART\u00a0will\u00a0launch on Thursday, Nov. 27. The pilot project will\u00a0run\u00a0for 35 weeks and\u00a0be operational from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday\u00a0through\u00a0Saturday.\u00a0The students looked at\u00a0call\u00a0data to determine\u00a0the\u00a0optimal time.<\/p>\n Yenik and Collinsworth will evaluate the program through attitude surveys and data analysis to determine if it is viable for the community.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to know if this is\u00a0cost effective for the community and\u00a0the\u00a0fire department\u00a0and giving people the care they need without spending as\u00a0much money,” Yenik said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nmajor, and\u00a0Brent Collinsworth<\/strong>, clinical health psychology\u00a0major,\u00a0are\u00a0helping to design and evaluate the new program called\u00a0CART\u2014Community Alternative Response Truck.<\/p>\n