Franklin Fire Department Moving To Paramedic Only Force

FRANKLIN, WI — The Franklin Fire Department will soon be staffed by all firefighter-paramedics after the Common Council approved a change in staffing at its Jan. 18 meeting.

The department's sole remaining firefighter-EMT will retire on Feb. 3, and their job position will be replaced by the role of firefighter-paramedic.

"Franklin is now the only fire department in Milwaukee County with all officers being paramedics," Franklin Mayor Steve Olson said in the meeting after the measure passed. "That's a big deal folks."

The differences between EMTs and paramedics are in training and experience. While basic EMT training lasts about 200 hours, the department's request to the council reads, paramedic training represents the equivalent of an associate's degree.

The decision comes as fire department administration has been striving to improve its level of service by increasing the number of paramedic level providers versus the more basic emergency medical technicians. The staffing changes are meant to offer more flexibility, as every provider in the department can perform the most intensive patient assessments and medical interventions, the department's request to the council reads.

"FFD's survival rates for cardiac arrest are consistently among the highest in the County and FFD administration firmly believes this statistic is due to the number of paramedics present on these critical calls," the department's council request for action reads.

Assistant Chief of EMS Shannon Anthoine told The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel more about the key differences between the levels of care an EMT and a paramedic can provide.

Paramedics have more advanced lifesaving skills, such as starting an IV or understanding heart rhythms, Anthoine told the Journal Sentinel. Paramedics can also make use of many more medications, she said.