Today, May 5, 2015, marks the 40th anniversary of the first Life Squad being placed in service with the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department.
In the late 1960’s, the National Highway Safety Act was focused on the plight of trauma victims. The year 1970 saw the N.H.T.S.A. initiate the development of the emergency medical services.
In January of 1966, our department began conducting first aid training at fire stations where the fire officers had been certified as first aid instructors. Fast forward to January 1974 when the first class of Toledo Firefighters began training to receive paramedic certification. Twelve Toledo Firefighters embarked in to training that was relatively new in the fire service, but today, just over forty years later, has grown in to an integral component of the modern fire service.
This is especially true for our department where all Toledo Firefighters are at a minimum Emergency Medical Technician-Basic, approximately 200 are certified as Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic.
Today, in an agreement with Lucas County (L.C.E.M.S.), there are six Life Squads staffed by Toledo Firefighters that operate out of Toledo Fire Stations.