Adapting to a Pandemic for Wildland Firefighters

May 29th, 2020

Existing experience allows for new services to address COVID19

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO, 26 May 2020: EMS Unlimited, a Steamboat Springs based provider of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), is pleased to announce expanded offerings for wildland firefighting safety. Existing wildland ambulance services will be complemented by a newly designed Infection Control and Decontamination Module, which has been tailored to combat COVID 19 and other infectious diseases in the wildfire setting.

“I’m grateful to have so many professionals on our team, with so much experience in the wildland environment, they really have put together a fantastic service.” said Ebin Latrimurti, Paramedic and President of EMS Unlimited. “Adapting to COVID19 and the changes it brings to our operation has been a dynamic and on-going process”.

EMS Unlimited was founded in 2012 as a customizable service for medical support to special events. That model has grown in recent years to many other staffing options, added ambulance operations, CPR and other training, and consulting. For the 2020 wildfire season, EMS Unlimited has dedicated two ambulances and associated staff to wildfire response. Assigned staff receive wildland training and certifications to serve on the line, or from an ambulance. These 4×4 ambulances are staffed by Paramedics and EMTs equipped with specific tools and PPE to deploy for weeks at a time.

In consideration of the COVID19 pandemic, EMS Unlimited has built a COVID19 and Infection Control Kit. This kit is designed to deploy a team of 3 specially trained EMTs to wildfire camps. Objectives of the team are to; reduce spread of COVID19, isolate suspected infections, provide contact tracing to reduce community spread, offer real-time telehealth MD consults, conduct health screenings and patient care. To meet these objectives the team is equipped with a 4×4 truck, decontamination sprayers, disinfectants, PPE, health screening and patient care supplies. Using recommendations from the CDC, the National Interagency Fire Center, and others, EMS Unlimited will work diligently to support the health and wellness of everyone at fire camps.

EMS Unlimited wildfire response assets and staff will deploy from the company warehouse located in Hayden, Colorado. Response time to wildfire incidents can be less than 24 hours in many cases. In 2018 when the company began wildfire operations by providing Line Medics, the response area was restricted to NW Colorado in order to maintain quality control. For 2020, Line Medics, Ambulances and the Infection Control Module can be deployed to USFS Regions 1, 2, 3 and 4. These regions include Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Idaho and Montana among others.

While every industry is facing unique hurdles and challenges as they address and recover from COVID19, EMS Unlimited is dedicated to maintaining quality, adaptable and compassionate medical care.

EMS Unlimited provides customer service driven emergency medical care and related services to clients seeking partnership style relationships with comprehensive medical staffing, emergency management, training and planning. Solutions provided to customers reduce workload, ease concerns, save time, in addition to enhancing safety and reducing risk. For more information EMS Unlimited can be found at www.ems-unlimited.com, by calling 1-800-674-7764 or email info@ems-unlimited.com.