Lake County Fire Rescue has upgraded its level of service from basic life support to advanced life support (ALS) at two fire stations.
Lake County is celebrating the addition of highly skilled paramedics at both Station 52 in Lady Lake – the county’s busiest firehouse – and Station 54 in Harbor Hills. Combined, Lake County firefighters responded to nearly 3,000 calls in 2016 out of the two stations, with a majority being medical calls. Both stations serve large retirement populations just outside and sometimes within The Villages, as well as in the Harbor Hills and Water Oak communities.
“All Lake County Fire Rescue units are staffed by experienced EMTs or paramedics who respond to medical calls, car accidents, fires and other life-threatening emergencies every day,” said Lake County Public Safety Director John Molenda. “With 20 of our 25 fire stations now providing advanced life support, we are saving lives by offering enhanced medical care and furthering our mission of offering the highest possible level of service countywide.”
ALS is a more sophisticated pre-hospital care involving the use of intravenous fluids, medications and intubation administered by trained paramedics, while BLS is used to maintain vital functions until the patient has been transported to a hospital.
The career firefighters of Lake County Fire Rescue protect county residents and visitors in an area covering approximately 1,200 square miles, with nearly 70,000 residences and up to 2,000 commercial properties.
