DID YOU KNOW: the City of #Hesperia appears to have operated the first officially recognized, full-time professional paramedic program in the county. They were not the first paramedics recognized by #ICEMA, but Hesperia firefighters were in the first paramedic class offered in #SanBernardinoCounty. In the early 1970s the high desert was not nearly as populated as it is today. Motivated by thin profit margins, private ambulance companies deemed it not financially viable to stage ambulances in the high desert/mountain communities. This gap in coverage resulted in sub-par service delivery in many of the areas (Hesperia, Lucerne Valley, Wrightwood, Phelan, Yucca Valley, Lake Arrowhead, Rialto, etc.) where the county claimed transport rights. In 1973-1974 the city of Hesperia initially formed a co-op agreement with McCormick Mortuary ambulance in which McCormick provided the ambulance, while Hesperia Fire Protection District would pay to staff it. Then in 1975 the city expressed a desire to staff paramedics on an ambulance of its own. Three Hesperia firefighters—Mike Weis, Bob Dick, and Woody Conklin—attended the first paramedic class in the county put on at Loma Linda University. Upon their graduation, the Hesperia Fire ALS program was started. Initial EMS equipment such as Motorola Advanced Portable Coronary Observation Radios (APCOR), Physio Control EKG monitors, military anti-shock trousers (MAST suits), HARE traction and air splints purchases and equipment maintenance were paid for by pancake breakfasts. The program was to be continually funded by ambulance transport revenue. It would pay for one paramedic to staff an ambulance each day. To save the fire district time and money Hesperia Fire was one of the first departments to pursue restock supply lockers at Station 301 for use by each station. Hesperia was very influential in the development of ALS service delivery in the high desert beyond its own agency. Hesperia was involved with the San Bernardino County Emergency Medical Care Committee (EMCC) and spearheaded the forming of the San Bernardino County Fire Chiefs EMS section. The purpose was to push for advances in treatment, including endotracheal intubations, needle thoracostomies, and even for an air ambulance program for the high desert and mountain communities. In 1972 San Bernardino was one of four counties to receive an aviation grant to obtain a helicopter and staff it for rescue or medical transportation. No paramedics were on these first helicopters. Instead it was staffed by the sheriff’s department and USAR team members. This aviation division was formed by Terry Jagerson, who did not believe it was safe to fly a helicopter into the high desert area due to the low amount of light (the area was rural in those days and without much municipal lighting to see the ground). In around 1981 Hesperia Fire, in conjunction with the County Chief’s EMS section, pushed for a trial period to show ICEMA that an air ambulance transport program for the high desert could be safely accomplished. In 1983 a trial period for air ambulance transport was approved.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 17:00:00 +0000
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