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11 Comments

• #1 by Drew Smith on August 18, 2012 - 6:11 PM

  

  I have no idea why CFD would designate E2 as BLS but I will speculate. Under the EMS Act in Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health has administrative rules that govern how EMS is delivered. EMS providers (governmental and private) must file a plan with IDPH that is approved by their EMS system. In that plan they must list all vehicles used as transport and non-transport responders. If E2 is used to transport patients to shore, to waiting ambulances, etc. then it is viewed as a specialized EMS vehicle. At the least, if E2 is dispatched to an on water incident for EMS purposes they are a non-transport provider. Under IDPH you simply cannot take personnel and equipment off one vehicle and put it on another vehicle. The IL Fire Chiefs worked for years to get IDPH to allow “reserve” ambulances, ambulances that are empty and can be stocked from an out of service ambulance and used short term. I’ll spare the details of this but it was a several year ordeal to make this happen. So, that is my take on E2 and its BLS designation. One can feel however they may about the IDPH rules, but in the end you have to CYA or deal with the repercussions in court: “Members of the jury I know my client was intoxicated and trespassed and that is how he wound up in the lake. Sure there were paramedics with all their equipment on the rescue boat but it wasn’t properly designated so that’s why he died and the city must pay!”

• #2 by Zack on August 18, 2012 - 5:22 PM

  

  So question, and I hate to sound dumb. How does Engine 2 operate? And how does a boat act as a BLS company? I mean do they run that many EMS calls that they need to be?

• #3 by Drew on August 18, 2012 - 9:53 AM

  

  What is the staffing on Boat 6-8-8 and the helicopter(s)? Is there assigned personal or are they staffed by jump companies? Thanks for any replies.

• #4 by Drew Smith on August 17, 2012 - 11:05 PM

  

  Correction: I was on E58 summer of 2010 before E2 was delivered.

• #5 by Scott on August 17, 2012 - 10:44 PM

  

  The “pilot” of the boat is a civilain employee thru the Chicago Water Dept. Three are assigned, one each shift. The engineers are Chicago Fire Dept sworn personnel-Same rank and job description as a land based engineer. A fire pump is still a fire pump, just in a much larger scale.

  Thanks for the info on Quarters on Eng 2. As one post said, they are bunking on Eng 58. There was also info that possibly the old coast guard station which is CPD marine headquarters may also be used for CFD. Anyone know anything about this?

• #6 by chris on August 17, 2012 - 10:19 PM

  

  could they use the old air sea rescue station it was right next to the harbor

• #7 by Drew Smith on August 17, 2012 - 7:26 PM

  

  When I was on E58 last summer the crew said E2 would not have bunks. They were led to believe they would remain bunking on E58. They also said there were other ideas such as land quarters at the water plant

• #8 by Bill Post on August 17, 2012 - 3:32 PM

  

  Thanks for the information regarding the crew size. I was wondering if the engineers are authorized or trained to do anything other than operate and monitor the pumps on board. As they are marine engineers, were they first trained as Chicago fire fighters and then received marine engineer certification, or were they hired as marine engineers solely to operate the boat. The same question goes for the pilot’s position as I know that boat crews have a long tradition that goes way back.

  The only people that I currently am sure about their fire fighting and rescue role is the firefighter and the officer on board. Thanks

• #9 by Scott on August 16, 2012 - 11:01 PM

  

  In regards to the Fireboat, last I had checked with the FD Capt of the Engine/Boat, no land cos reported. The CFD crew is the engine company.

  As far as living arrangments, when 58 was the front-line boat, crews lived on it. Is this correct that they are NOT living on Eng 2? It was built with bunks, galley & head.

  THanks!

• #10 by Dennis on August 16, 2012 - 10:10 PM

  

  @Bill, Engine 2 is a regular engine co. Manpower is 1 pilot, 1 officer, 2 engineers and 1 FF. You are correct in that a land company did come to help man the boat and I only can assume that this is still policy. The boat is still at the river, just south of Navy Pier along with the police boats. The crew of Engine 2 sleeps, eats, and otherwise lives on Engine 58. When they get a run they will then man Engine 2 and respond. The BLS status is for Engine 2, meaning they have the following: 2 EMT-Bs on duty along with a QRB, O2 bag, an AED, and other basic medical equipment.

• #11 by Bill Post on August 16, 2012 - 8:41 PM

  

  How many people stay with Engine 2 as it’s regular crew; two or three people? I know that an engine company normally is supposed to report to the boat when going on most runs. When Engine 58 was at Navy Pier it was usually Engine 98 or 42 that would report to the boat. Now that Engine 2 is south of the Chicago River and is officially in Engine 13’s still district, I would assume that Engine 13 would be the first engine called to man Engine 2?

  When the engine reports to the boat does the engineer stay with the engine company on the land side? I would have thought that Engine 2 would assume the EMS status of the engine company responding on Engine 2. An example would be that if Engine 13 would be on board that the boat would become ALS as Engine 13 is an ALS Engine, while if Engine 42 were responding on the boat then Engine 2 would be BLS as Engine 42 is BLS. Perhaps the BLS status is only for Engine 2’s permanent crew?

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