Planning for the placement and staffing of fire apparatus, either in a fixed location or for a temporary move-up position, involves the comparative evaluation of community risk for each alternative. Unfortunately, our typical understanding of risk is skewed and outdated. Basing operational decisions on inadequate data leads to choices that can be inefficient, ineffective and […]

This is a second preview chapter of a new book in the Primer series from Bradshaw Consulting Services to be titled “Closest Vehicle Dispatch: A Primer for Fire” to be released in time for the FDIC 2017 at the end of April. Whether you are held to the standards of NFPA 1710, which addresses predominately […]

The following is a preview of a book coming soon from Bradshaw Consulting Services to be titled “Closest Vehicle Dispatch: A Primer for Fire” which is a follow-up to “Dynamic Deployment: A Primer for EMS”. Watch for the new release in time for the FDIC 2017 conference at the end of April. The modern legal […]

In our recently published book, “Dynamic Deployment: A Primer for EMS“, John Brophy and I established a dichotomy between the standards of static deployment and dynamic deployment in the very first chapter.  Fortunately, that strong polar perspective has spurred some interesting discussions for me. While the check-out lane analogy was effective in distinguishing some of the differences of static […]

Ideas often take time to saturate a market. Even if the idea is generally recognized as a good one, complete with compelling evidence, change can still take time.  As a current example, how many agencies still have a protocol for complete spinal immobilization on a long spine board for “any fall” or “significant impact”?  On that very […]

One aspect of improving performance is responding appropriately in less time – not necessarily just responding “faster.” Technology must be evaluated by “outcome” just as patient treatments are being qualified and improved.

No one really wants to read a bad story about some other EMS agency, but it is even worse to read a similar story about your own. The purpose of this post is not to make Detroit into some “failed EMS poster child” but intended to shed some light on similar problems that may be […]