Training
Our goal here at North County Fire / EMS is to provide our Firefighters with a range of high quality programs and services designed to protect the lives, property and environment for the citizens and visitors within the North County response area. Its our mission to prepare ourselves with any adverse effects due to fires, sudden medical emergencies, motor vehicle accidents, natural or man-made disasters, and other dangerous conditions.
Structural Firefighting
At the beginning of a Firefighter's career, each individual is put through a Basic Firefighter Training Academy. Its mentally and physically demanding as they go through the basics of the Fire Service, Fire Suppression, Hose Operations, Ladders, Automobile Extrication, Wildland Firefighting, Surface Water Rescue as well as Customer Service and Safety.
Once a Firefighter has completed the Basic Firefighter Training Academy, ongoing training is required to maintain and improve on the skills that have been acquired. Firefighters are continually being tested on their skills according to the Washington State IFSAC standards.
Vehicle Extrication
Each year there are roughly 50,000 vehicle accidents that occur in the State of Washington. Around 300 of those accidents involve a fatality and around 30,000 involve injuries alone. North County Fire / EMS on a constant basis, is training on vehicle and patient extrication. Commonly, training includes the use and operation of the extrication tools, also know as the ''Jaws of Life.'' Real life scenarios are simulated on vehicles that have been placed into a situation where Firefighters may find a vehicle. Although no real life patients are used, it helps Firefighters maintain and improve skills needed to rapidly extricate patients from any harm.
Emergency Medical Services
After a Firefighter has completed the basics of firefighting, each individual put through an Emergency Medical Technician Basic course. The course prepares participants in all phases of pre-hospital emergency care as needed for employment as an EMT. Content includes lecture and hands-on practice in emergency care, medical emergencies, bleeding, shock, trauma injuries, environmental and childbirth emergencies, cardiac emergencies involving CPR, lifting and moving patients and other topics. After successful completion of the class, student will have earned the certification of EMT-Basic.
EMT's are enrolled in a competency-based training program developed through King County EMS to maintain EMS skills on a continous basis.
