As an all-hazard response agency, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R) provides emergency response well beyond fire suppression. Residents are often surprised to learn that as many as 80 percent of the calls crews are dispatched to are medical in nature. All firefighters have a minimum Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license, and every TVF&R apparatus has at least one paramedic who is able to deliver advanced lifesaving care on scene. 

Community members may ask “What can I expect if I need to call 911?” In response, we have provided answers to some frequently asked questions below.

How are 911 calls for medical issues dispatched?

First response agencies in Washington County partner with Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA), which serves as the primary dispatching agency countywide. All 911 calls come into WCCCA, and call takers ask specific questions based on “run cards” generating which questions to ask, and which fire and medical resources to dispatch to the incident. One aspect of Washington County’s recent updates to its Ambulance Service Agreement included the dispatching of ambulances by WCCCA with the primary private service provider.

Why is there often a fire engine (or truck) that responds to a 911 medical call along with an ambulance? Can I request only an ambulance when I call 911?

Typically, a fire resource and an ambulance are both dispatched to a medical call. Since fire stations are more prevalent throughout TVF&R’s service area, fire resources are often able to arrive sooner and begin triaging patient care. TVF&R apparatus have the same advanced lifesaving capabilities as an ambulance, and often the company officer (supervisor of the unit) can determine if a basic lifesaving (BLS) ambulance will suffice to transfer the patient. This helps to keep a higher level, advanced lifesaving unit in the system, available to respond to more critical calls. There are limited cases in which only an ambulance will respond, including a doctor’s scheduled transfer of a patient to a higher level of care.

If I’m calling on behalf of someone else, how can I be prepared to help when first responders arrive?

If you are calling 911 on another’s behalf, make sure to have as much information as you can including the person’s name, date of birth, any medications and/or allergies, and medical history. Having this information helps us provide the best care possible in the shortest amount of time. We highly recommend placing a red medical card on your fridge with this information for each person in your family. First responders know to look there, and it can save critical moments during a medical emergency.

What happens when TVF&R shows up to my house for a medical emergency?

As soon as our crews show up, we will bring our medical equipment with us and begin using our medical skills^—oftentimes performing steps that may save a life. Once an ambulance arrives, we help get the patient onboard and heading to the hospital where they’ll be cared for by emergency room doctors and other medical specialists.

Why do you carry so many bags?

The sicker or more injured the patient is, the more medical kits we bring to a call. We want to make sure we can immediately treat whatever signs and symptoms a patient is experiencing. We have five medical kits we can bring on any medical call. Each kit is designed to meet a certain set of patient needs. Kits may contain medication, oxygen, unique medical equipment, wound care supplies, splints and bandages, or even items to help a patient breathe. We also bring a cardiac monitor with us on every call.

What does the big heart monitor do?

Our cardiac monitor-defibrillators are used to evaluate nearly every patient we encounter. Along with monitoring a patient’s heart and vital signs, these tools create advanced 12-lead electrocardiograms that can be sent ahead to hospital emergency departments and deliver lifesaving electrical shocks for patients who have suffered cardiac arrest.

Does TVF&R transport patients to the hospital or primarily treat on-site?

Ambulance transport is determined at the county level, and in Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas counties, American Medical Response (AMR) is the primary ambulance service provider. In Newberg and its surrounding area in Yamhill County, TVF&R is the primary ambulance service provider. In Clackamas and Washington counties, there are county-specific agreements in place for TVF&R to provide supplemental transport services.

How does ambulance transport billing work? Is there a difference in cost to the patient?

TVF&R charges a base rate or flat fee for transporting a patient to the hospital as well as a mileage fee from the pick-up location to the hospital. Most of the time, we obtain insurance information from the hospital. Once benefits are verified, we will send the claim directly to the insurance company. After payment is received from insurance, we will bill the patient the remaining balance. Pricing is subject to the county the patient is transported in.