Fire Service Emergency Care

Rating:
Summary: Great for the Firefighter/First Responder
Review: This very information-filled book is jam packed with useful information that all firefighters/first responders will need. From Trauma, medical, Airway Management and Defibrillation to very basic Auto Extrication and Water Rescue this book is complete with all the medical knowledge that a firefighter will need.

We used this book in our first responder training. I found it very frustrating because the book didn't have to waste space for an "ambulance operations" chapter because firefighters don't need that training because we don't drive ambulances nor provide that type of patient care. There is a transition of care section which makes patient transfers easier. The last thing we need to know on the scene is the proper way to transfer care to more advanced care. The only thing this book really lacks is a firefighter's perspective. Certain operations will be done with a number of personnel, we carry at least 4 firefighters per apparatus. The defibrillation chapter makes use of fire service resources, but the others don't seem to. There should be an added chapter of taking care of common firefighter medical emergencies such as treatment for smoke inhalation and respirator hazards, hazardous materials exposure care, etc. It was good that there was an emergency rehab chapter, that is something that too few medical texts have.

There really isn't much difference between this book and the other EMT-B books on the market. There are a few extra chapters that are dedicated for firefighters. Much of the information in this book is almost word for word what is in other texts like "Emergency Care" and "Prehospital Emergency Care", it's probably that they are all made by Brady and that's why. IFSTA is a contributor so that gives this book a unique edge.