Fire Department introduces new EMS voucher program,
receives 19 new pumper trucks

The San Antonio Fire Department has initiated a new pilot voucher program for non-critical patients that will allow many units to be available to respond to more critical trauma and medical emergencies.

EMS transports approximately 34 Basic Life Support (BLS) patients each day. The San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) estimates that as many as 25 percent of those patients can be deemed as non-critical and be eligible for a voucher that may provide a free taxi ride to a local hospital. After responding to a call, if paramedics deem a patient as non-critical and cannot otherwise afford transportation, the patient will receive a paper voucher that includes an EMS case number, confirmation that the patient was assessed by EMS paramedics as non-critical, and instructions for the taxicab driver relative to the facility for which the patient is being transported. The EMS unit then can return to service and be available for more critical calls rather than transporting a non-critical patient to a hospital.

“The EMS voucher program will increase ambulance availability and allow paramedics to better serve patients in need of critical care,” said Fire Chief Robert Ojeda.

The Fire Department also announced that 19 new pumper fire trucks soon will be added to the department’s fleet. The new trucks will replace 18 trucks currently in service and provide a new pumper truck for Fire Station #50 at 12703 Applewhite Road. The older trucks will be utilized as part of the department’s reserve fleet.

Pumper trucks carry and pump water for use in firefighting operations. The City purchased the 19 pumpers for a total cost of $6.8 million. Ten of the new pumper trucks will be placed into service soon upon completion of outfitting each truck with final equipment, radios and computers. They will be strategically deployed to fire stations that have been chosen to best utilize and spread enhanced capabilities around the city. The remaining nine trucks have been completed by the manufacturer and are expected to arrive in Texas soon for final inspection and clearance before being outfitted with final equipment.

The new pumpers will be the first SAFD trucks to use Compressed Air Foam Systems (CAFS). CAFS is the latest technology in firefighting applications. It allows firefighters to cover burning structures with foam instead of water, penetrating deep fires and separating or reducing the fire’s supply of oxygen.
Last year, SAFD placed 11 new ladder trucks and two new pumper trucks into service.

“The City is continuing to invest in new emergency vehicles and equipment that will provide firefighters and paramedics with the tools they need to provide critical, life-saving and property-preserving services for our residents,” said Ojeda.

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