JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department made an announcement Friday that it says will help save lives in Jacksonville.
JFRD announced a third Critical Care Rescue Unit is now in place in Jacksonville. It will be used when people need medical care right away.
The first two units — one on the Westside and the other on the Northside — are said to have saved lives already. The new unit is located in one of the busiest parts of the city: Arlington.
The paramedics have been specially trained for the equipment and medication in the unit, which could save lives.
“I think this is just an added layer of patient protection,” Dr. Brad Elias, Medical Director of JFRD, said. “So we have 63 rescue units across the city. But now, three of them are critically care-trained. This will save people’s lives. It will help them get to the hospital when they’re suffering from a major medical illness or a major traumatic illness.”
News4JAX asked why all of the ambulances don’t carry the equipment.
“Because of the specialized training that’s required,” Elias said. “These medications are very potent. So they have to be administered by people who are trained and understand these medications, the procedures that we do save lives, but they’re also complicated and require special training as well. So that’s why there’s only three right now. But hopefully, the plan is to continue to grow this program as we continue to see success.”
The unit is one of the few in the country to have the equipment.
According to JFRD, the cost of additional medicine and equipment for each unit is about $45,000 a year.
Copyright 2023 by WJXT News4JAX – All rights reserved.
