Lakeside and Santee Firefighter Paramedics - 40 years of Service

Lakeside, CA. -

Just over 40-years ago, eight firefighters from two small fire district's in "East County" began serving as the first paramedics in San Diego County. In July of 1975, the first paramedic advanced life support ambulance in San Diego County began serving the citizens of Santee, Lakeside, and Bostonia from Santee Fire District Station 1 on Cottonwood Avenue (now station 4). The assigned crew consisted of one Santee and one Lakeside firefighter-paramedic.

Back in early 1970s, paramedic service was still a new concept in California. Authorized by the state's 1970 Wedsworth-Townsend Act, paramedic services were being provided by only a few agencies statewide, primarily large fire departments in the greater Los Angeles area. In January of 1972, the capabilities of the (firefighter) paramedic truly entered the public consciousness with the popular television program Emergency!. Up until then, both Lakeside and Santee fire districts were providing transport ambulance service at a basic life support level. In 1974, the fire chiefs of the neighboring districts decided it was time to provide a (much) higher level of emergency medical service.

A public information campaign was launched with Santee Fire Captain Jack Stephenson assigned the daunting task of convincing local citizens of the need for the new life-saving service. Captain Stephenson made over 70 presentations to local community groups over the next months. During that period, federal grant funding was secured to help pay for the training costs. In addition to Capt. Stephenson, seven other firefighters were chosen to attend the rigorous advanced training course. In February of 1975, the eight firefighters started their training at newly-established UCSD EMS Training Office (EMSTO). This would become known as Paramedic Class 1.

Following a parallel course, a group of emergency room nurses at Grossmont Hospital started specialized training to become the first "paramedic" nurses in the county. Known as Mobile Intensive Care Nurses (MICN), these dedicated professionals would staff the first paramedic base station, providing medical direction to field paramedics via the EMS radio. Completing the prehospital care team were the first base hospital physicians at Grossmont hospital, ultimately providing 24-hour, real-time oversight of the paramedics operating in the field.

On March 4, 1975, voters in Lakeside, Santee, and Bostonia approved a special tax levy to create the CSA-69 Heartland Paramedic District with a 79% "yes" margin. This established a stable funding source for the new paramedic program.

With the voters approving the new paramedic district, the eight firefighters finished up their training. While the didactic (classroom) and clinical (hospital) instruction took place locally, the mandated field internship portion of the course had to be completed with certified paramedics. Since there were no paramedics in San Diego County, Class 1 trainees headed to Long Beach Fire Department to complete their field internships.

In July, 1975, after months of rigorous training, UCSD EMSTO Paramedic Class 1 graduated. That month, the first Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics (MICP) in San Diego County began serving the citizens of East County.

Lakeside and Santee firefighter-paramedics have been providing advance life support services ever since. The paramedic district currently provides service from four paramedic transport ambulances, two in Lakeside (M2, M3) and two in Santee (M4, M5). Both agencies also have robust paramedic engine programs quickly delivering a firefighter-paramedic to every call for service on board fire engines and truck companies prior to ambulance arrival. Additionally, the dual-role capability of the firefighter-paramedic provides increased daily firefighter staffing for both the City of Santee Fire Department and the Lakeside Fire Protection District.

EMSTO Class 1 Firefighter Trainees. (courtesy Life News)

Grossmont Hospital's First MICNs.

Post by: Captain-Paramedic Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District

Lakeside Paramedics Now Have a Powerful Tool in Cardiac Care

Lakeside EMS-

In the mid-1970’s when the Lakeside and Santee Fire agencies rolled out the paramedic program you had to be an accomplished weight lifter just to get the equipment in the door. Between a radio that felt like it had a car battery in it, and a monitor-defibrillator, which was the size of a medium suit case, paramedics found themselves using equipment that had not been well designed for field use. But through design change, and technology, the equipment slowly became smaller in size but yet more powerful in the information it provided the paramedic team.

In the 1970's this was state of the art in cardiac care.

 Over the past two decades there has been a quantum change in how paramedics treat suspected heart related emergencies in the field. Over time the treatment has been streamlined to provide aggressive initial care coupled with rapid transport to an appropriate facility.

But as treatment guidelines changed the industry was challenged to produce a device that would meet the constantly evolving guidelines for cardiac care. These devices had to be extremely portable and provide a broad array of informational feedback on the condition of the patient. Plus this new device had to possess the ability to relay information to the hospital where doctors could begin the task of outlining a plan of care once the patient arrived at the hospital.

Recently the Lakeside Fire Protection District purchased eleven of the most advanced cardiac monitor/defibrillators available in the marketplace. The Zoll X-Series represents a blend of technology with functionality. When applied to the patient it can provide a limitless amount of information to first responders during field treatment.

The Zoll X-Series arrive at Lakeside River Park Station. (Photo By: Bernie Molloy)

As a cardiac monitor the Zoll X-Series can monitor simple cardiac rhythms. But this monitor also possesses the ability to obtain a complex 12-lead EKG where advanced processors can analyze the rhythm and provide important information to the paramedics.If there is a high degree of suspicion that the patient is suffering a heart attack the paramedics can activate a link between the monitor and the hospital. Utilizing WiFi technology the monitor talks with the engine company, or paramedic unit, which serves as a WiFi hotspot. By utilizing the apparatus as the WiFi access points the Lakeside Fire District was able to reduce costs by using a single provider for data services.

Once the data is received at the hospital it can be forwarded to the doctors wireless devices where they can see the actual 12 lead EKG, and receive information about the patient they are about to treat.

As a defibrillator the X-Series provides hands-off defibrillation through the use of specialized adhesive pads. These pads can also be used to detect cardiac activity, and in the event that the heart rate is too slow it can provide external cardiac pacing.

Firefighter-Paramedic Jon Jordan with the new Zoll X-Series on Medic 3 (Lake Jennings Fire Station)

In addition the X-Series can monitor the amount of oxygen in your blood stream, and the amount of carbon dioxide in your expired breath. These are two very important pieces of information when treating cardiac arrest victims. These devices will even obtain a blood pressure and record the information for later documentation.

These new monitors give EMS crews a whole new set of tools in treating cardiac related incidents. All Lakeside medic units, and engine companies, have the new generation monitors.

Submitted By: Fire Fighter-Paramedic Jon Jordan, Lakeside Fire District

Story Contributors: Division Chief Jim Kirkpatrick, Fire Captain Bernie Molloy, Fire Captain Mark Grow

Do You Think You Have What it Takes to Become a Paramedic in San Diego?

Southwestern College Paramedic Intern, Omar Asfar, is delivering a demonstration on the Zoll EKG monitor as part of his paramedic field evaluation time on Medic 3. Paramedic students like Omar are assigned to a paramedic ambulance for a minimum of 528 hours. During that time, the students are trained and evaluated on paramedic skills that they have developed in the classroom. In addition to the 528 hours on a paramedic ambulance they have to complete 860 hours of classroom time and 168 hours of clinical hospital time.

 Paramedic Intern Omar Asfar gives a presentation to the Lake Jennings Fire Station crew on the defibrillator.

While in the hospital, the student rotates through various departments, such as, the Emergency Room, Labor and Delivery, Pediatrics, and the Operating Room. In the hospital the students learn first hand skills from doctors, nurses and other specialists to help them become professionals in the field of Emergency Medicine. Lakeside Fire Protection District was one of the first paramedic providers in San Diego County and is proud to continue to participate in the training and evaluation of new paramedic students eager to provide public service to the community.

Currently Lakeside Fire has two interns. One is assigned to the Lake Jennings station, the other is at the River Park station.

Submitted By: Firefighter-Paramedic Jamie Hazlewood, Lakeside Fire Protection District

Shooting Victim Transported to Trauma Center

El Monte: On Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 at 3:15 AM, one engine company and an ALS ambulance were dispatched to the 10200 blk of Lake Jennings Park Rd for a possible shooting victim.

On the arrival of Engine Company 3 and Medic 3 (Lake Jennings Station) they located a single victim that had suffered a gunshot wound to the lower back area. The male patient was also showing signs that the bullet may have caused injuries to the abdominal area. Crews initiated advanced life support and transported the victim to the trauma center at Sharp Memorial Hospital.

View Lakeside Incidents and Story Map in a larger map

The San Diego Sheriff Department is currently investigating the incident.

Submitted By: Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire District

Lakeside Welcomes Paramedic Intern Watte

The Lakeside Fire Protection District welcomes Paramedic Intern Brent Watte to the community of Lakeside. This 22 year old Alpine resident is in the final phase of his paramedic training. Assigned to veteran Firefighter-Paramedic Chris Williams, Brent will complete 22 shifts, of carefully supervised, internship on Medic 3 (Lake Jennings Station). During this internship Brent will be required to demonstrate the essential skills of operating in the pre-hospital setting.

Paramedic Intern Brent Watte

Currently a student at the EMSTA College, this phase of his training is the culmination of a year long quest that included a didactic portion where the "book knowledge" of being a paramedic is tackled. Only if this section is completed the intern is then sent to the local hospitals to start using their advanced life support skills under the close supervisions of doctors and nurses. With completion of these two sections the students are then sent out to regional paramedic providers to prove their abilities under "real world" conditions.

Brent is currently a reserve firefighter with the San Miguel Fire District, and hopes to find employment with a local fire agency as a Firefighter-Paramedic.

Submitted By: Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire Protection District