With call volume, cost-per-mile, and other maintenance costs rising, fire departments are forced to change and adapt to meet the needs of their community while being fiscally responsible in today’s day and age. The City of Scottsdale Fire Department in Arizona is no different with its Low Acuity 601 in one of the city’s busiest first due, fire station 601.
Low Acuity 601 or LA601 sits on a 2011 Ford F550 Chassis with a Rosenbauer Medium-Duty Rescue utility box mounted on it. Low Acuity 601 responds to a variety of minor service and medical calls including minor falls, minor injuries, or types of calls that require only one paramedic to intervene.
“Due to call volume continually increasing, there was a need to ensure the correct resource was added to address the issue,” said Eric Valliere, an Assistant Fire Chief for the Scottsdale (AZ) Fire Department. “We are a data-driven organization and identified the types of calls in the area and looked at an alternative response,” Chief Valliere added.
LA601 is staffed with two sworn firefighters, one being an EMT and the other being a Paramedic, keeping four-person fire trucks available for more serious medical or fire emergencies.
The Scottsdale (AZ) Fire Department will address the needs of a similar unit as the call volume increases for the city. “As the call volume continues to increase, mostly in the downtown area, we continue to look at needs and additional resources,” Chief Valliere said to Buffers Central. “LA601 has been successful in addressing the need in Fire Station 601’s area, so we definitely look at adding more when the need is identified,” Chief Valliere continued.
“Fire Station 601’s area has a high call volume of all call types and could utilize an additional four-person crew,” Chief Valliere said. Scottsdale (AZ) Fire Department says the cost to operate and staff LA601 is a lower cost than a four-person fire truck.