All full-time Marion Fire Department personnel are trained to the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Basic level. This means that they are able to perform the following:
- Basic physical exam
- Vital signs
- Patient packaging (splinting, applying a cervical collar, etc.)
- Baby delivery
- Defibrillate (shock) a patient whose heart is not beating due to ventricular fibrillation
- Assist a patient in taking certain medications (nitroglycerine, epinephrine for bee stings)
- Insertion of Combi-tube (to assist breathing)
- Monitor and adjust IV drip rates
The Marion Fire Department also employs 14 EMT-P’s (paramedics). In addition to the skills listed above, paramedics can perform the following skills:
- Cardiac monitoring and cardiac rhythm interpretation
- External heart pacing
- IV insertion
- Endotrachael intubation (to assist breathing)
- Drug administration (MFD paramedics are qualified to administer 32 different drugs)
- Needle chest decompression (inserting a needle into the chest wall to relieve a collapsed lung)
- Insertion of a Pertrach (inserting a tube into the windpipe at the base of the neck to allow for breathing)
The Marion Fire Department is a full-time paramedic service.
Each station has a paramedic-equipped response unit. Most ambulance transports are provided by Area Ambulance Service, which is based at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids. For medical calls north of County Home road, Central City Ambulance Service or Center Point Ambulance Service will respond.