The FDNY EMS uses a variety of units: • Regular ambulances may be staffed to
Basic Life Support (BLS) or
Advanced Life Support (ALS) levels. • The paramedic response units are modified ambulances that do not have stretchers and are forbidden to transport patients. There are pilot fly-cars that are EV mustangs. • Haz-Tac ambulances, also known as Hazardous Material Tactical Units, are ambulances with EMTs or Paramedics trained to the
hazardous materials technician level allowing them to provide emergency medical care and decontamination in a hazardous environment. There are 39 haz-tac ambulance units. • Rescue ambulances staff Rescue Medics and are ALS providers who are also trained to the level of hazmat technician in addition to training in high angle rescue, confined space medicine, treatment in other austere environments and water rescue training. There are 11 of these units throughout the city. These
paramedics also possess an expanded scope of practice, including
rapid sequence intubation, surgical
cricothyrotomy,
ultrasound, and additional drugs in their formulary. They are also able to assist an EMS response physician with select procedures during prolonged rescue operations. • The bariatric unit is a specially designed ambulance that has a winch, ramp and stretcher rated for patients that are over 850 lbs. • EMS conditions cars are vehicles assigned to EMS lieutenants or captains, the supervisors overseeing the activities of the ambulance crews in their jurisdiction. They may also respond to certain call types that may require a supervisor on scene to coordinate resources (e.g. a
Mass-casualty incident, structure fires, cardiac arrests, motor vehicle collisions, etc.) There is generally one assigned per station. • EMS major emergency response vehicles (MERV) are modified school busses that are able to treat multiple casualties at the same time, with ALS and BLS functions. The unit seats 14 and has a stretcher, and is assigned to all major medical emergencies within its borough. There is one MERV assigned to Divisions 1, 5 and 7 each. Brooklyn no longer has a MERV, while Queens' MERV was lost to a vehicle fire. • EMS medical evacuation transportation units (METU) are large medical transports able to transport 24 non-ambulatory patients, 32 seated patients, or 10 wheel chair bound patients in the walkway for transport to area hospitals. There is one METU assigned to Divisions 3, 5 and 9 each. All three were purchased with
Department of Homeland Security funds. • EMS mobile respiratory treatment units (MRTU) are similar to METUs, and are also able to treat up to 32 seated patients and transport up to 28 patients for smoke inhalation and other respiratory issues with oxygen, albuterol, and ipratropium bromide. One MRTU is located in Divisions 3, 6, 7 each. All three were purchased with Department of Homeland Security funds. • EMS logistical support units (LSU) carry medical supplies for use in
mass-casualty incidents, as well as two generators, lights, a command tent and an inflatable tent. One LSU is located in Divisions 1, 2, 4, 5 and 8 each. • Haz-Tac officers are rescue paramedics that respond alongside Haz-Tac and rescue ambulances as the medical component of the FDNY Special Operations Command. There are two of these specially designed units that can also function as EMS condition officers when needed. • EMS response physicians are
emergency physicians with specialized training in hazardous materials, technical rescue, and other specialized prehospital skills such as on-scene limb amputations. The response physician may provide medical control on scene if they respond to day-to-day 911 calls at their discretion, high profile assignments, major mass-casualty incidents or as part of the Rescue Medical Task Force for patients requiring technical rescue or prolonged extrication. The vehicle is also known as the Five Mary Car due to the radio designation Car 5M. Field Unit Radio Designations Ambulance radio designations include two numbers followed by a letter and then a tour designation (ex: 46Y2) • The first and second digit represent the home battalion of the ambulance. (ex: 46Y2 is in FDNY battalion 46). • The letter following the battalion designation represents the level of care provided by the ambulance. A-O represents a
basic life support (BLS) ambulance, H represents a haztac BLS ambulance, P-Q represent a BLS Gator/Polaris unit, S-Y represent an
advanced life support (ALS) ambulance, R represents a rescue medic ALS ambulance and Z represents a haztac ALS ambulance. • The fourth digit represents the tour, or shift, of the ambulance. (ex: 09v1 is the night crew of the unit while 09v2 is the day shift and 09v3 is the evening shift.) • Paramedic Response Units (PRUs) utilize a flipped-system, with the home battalion being on the opposite side of the letter. Letters P, R, and Z are used. (ex: A PRU in Battalion 14 tour 3 would be Z143.) • Rescue Medic PRUs utilize the same system but with the prefix being "X". 5 Rescue Medic units assigned to the 5 Fire Rescue Companies across the city are designated XR1-XR5. • EMS lieutenants (called conditions bosses) have the designation of Cxxy, with xx being battalion and y being the tour. (ex: Conditions 07 tour 2 would be C072.) • EMS Captains have the designation Bxx, with xx being battalion. (ex Battalion 35 tour 3 would be B35.) There are no tour numbers for Station Captains. • EMS physicians have the designation of 5M1 up to 5M12. EMS Response physicians also have the dual-responsibility of being the Medical Director for one of the ten Divisions/Commands, including SOC. ==Apparatus==