EMS Division

Out-of-Hospital Emergency Care

When it comes to providing Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to the community, the Westfield Fire Department is a leader in Advanced Life Support (ALS) and maintains a commitment to excellence to the citizens of Westfield and its visitors.

We take our role in EMS as seriously as our commitment to firefighting. Every uniformed member of our department is a certified emergency medical technician (EMT), and nearly 30% are licensed paramedics. All paramedics at Westfield Fire Department maintain specialty certifications and are credentialed in special procedures. Our sponsoring hospital is Riverview Health, with medical direction provided by Dr. Greg Faris of the Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Out-of-Hospital Care.

A common perception is that a firefighter's primary tools are a fire hose and an ax. The reality is that Westfield firefighters are equally familiar with operating a defibrillator to deliver a shock to restart the heart, administering medications, inserting a breathing tube, or extricating a crash victim from a crushed vehicle while simultaneously treating their injuries. 75% of our calls are for medical emergencies. The fire department staffs two state-of-the-art ALS ambulances and is prepared for any emergency 24/7.

Every Second Counts

When a heart stops, or a life-threatening injury occurs, seconds count. Westfield fire stations are strategically located to provide the quickest response to medical emergencies and fires.

Some emergencies may require a team of responders. For example, in cardiac arrest, while two firefighters perform CPR, others set up a cardiac monitor and interpret the electrocardiogram, start IVs, and administer medications. This is why you may see multiple fire department vehicles on a medical incident.

Westfield Wellbeing

Westfield Fire Department has a progressive community paramedicine program allows specially trained paramedics to function in an expanded role using various resources. Our Field Resource Paramedics help coordinate care between patients and their healthcare providers and offer hospital discharge education, medication compliance, social services, and community resource navigation. In-home assessments can identify safety risks and barriers to wellness. Referrals come from hospitals, physicians, social service agencies, and public safety professionals. The program is organized clinically and administratively within the Westfield Fire Department and supports the goals of the Wellbeing Coalition of Westfield.

In response to the increasing demand for behavioral health emergencies, the Field Resource Paramedic responds with police officers to help identify, intervene, and de-escalate mental health crises. This new service links patients with appropriate care.

When not responding to emergencies or making house calls, the Field Resource Paramedic ensures medication, supplies, and equipment are delivered to Westfield's three fire stations. They serve as the internal EMS resource, providing technical expertise in operational situations and on-station educational programming developed by the EMS Division. The role is not isolated to medical affairs. The Field Resource Paramedics support the Battalion Chief by tracking firefighters on fire scenes and monitoring the physical and psychological stressors of on-scene personnel to improve performance and reduce injury.

Our interprofessional Quick Response Team provides face-to-face follow-up with patients 3 to 5 days after an overdose. A paramedic, police officer, and peer recovery coach provide short and long-term support to patients and their families. Distribution of naloxone (Narcan) and referring patients to treatment and recovery programs has demonstrated success in reducing overdose incidents and death.

Committed to the Community

Westfield is home to Grand Park, and the Fire Department provides medical support to athletes and fans at the 400-acre sports campus. The Indianapolis Colts make their training camp headquarters at the 370,000-square-foot Grand Park Events Center, where our paramedics are assigned and work side-by-side with NFL athletic trainers.

Committed to Growth

Westfield Fire Department is committed to the professional development of its personnel. Each month, the EMS Division conducts continuing medical education. Training on resuscitation, cardiology, medical emergencies, and trauma are presented with high-fidelity adult and pediatric simulations. Subject matter experts often serve as guest lecturers, and special training on mass casualty incidents and rescue helps firefighters and paramedics expect the unexpected.

Connect & Save Lives

Sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency that requires a community-based response. Westfield Fire Department has partnered with Riverview Health and PulsePoint to improve survival from cardiac arrest.

The American Heart Association estimates that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after cardiac arrest, can double or triple a person's chance of survival. However, less than half of cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR or the use of an AED.

Citizens trained in CPR can download the free PulsePoint application on their smartphone and be alerted by Hamilton County 911 Communications, simultaneously with Westfield Fire Department, when CPR is needed at a nearby public place. PulsePoint also directs the citizen rescuer to the exact location of the closest publicly accessible Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

The app's purpose is to increase the survival rates of cardiac arrest victims. In addition, PulsePoint provides a virtual window into EMS and fire activity in the community.

• Download Apple PulsePoint
• Download Android PulsePoint

CPR Training

Westfield Fire Department would love to help you learn CPR today so you can save a life tomorrow. Please contact one of our American Heart Association instructors for more information:

• Shaun Barnett: 317-554-9257
• Joshua Brow: 765-520-0475
• Claude Hedlund: 317-432-4058
• Zachery Keller: 317-504-9962
• Ryan Moore: 765-461-2241
• Joshuah Sloma: 317-650-2185
• Pamela Taylor: 317-716-9981