More than just fighting flames!
A powerful investment into the safety of Lincoln
Lincoln Fire Rescue (LFR) is perhaps one of the best investments Lincoln, Neb. has made. In the fiscal year of 2022-2023, LFR spent just over $52 million and saved roughly $388 million worth of property due to fires. They responded to a total of 33,042 incidents in Lincoln and the number one incident that took up 83.2% of the incidents were emergency medical services and rescue.
According to the LFR annual report, fires are in fourth place, constituting 2.73% of the incidents they addressed. Second place is false alarms, taking up 5.1% and third is good intent at 4.45% of incidents. This raises the question of why LFR is dealing significantly more with medical incidents than with fires. Reasons vary, but two common responses are that fire departments can react fast. LFR has 16 stations covering 102.60 square miles and they have equipment for every situation. Previously, ambulances were privatized in Lincoln but changes occurred and now LFR has a fair number of ambulances.
Lincoln Fire Rescue is moving in the right direction when it comes to innovations. Many communities primarily use large trucks and fire engines, which can be a problem if incidents are medical-related. A grandma experiencing cardiac arrest does not need hundreds of gallons of water to stay alive. Fire trucks are often bulky and difficult to maneuver, which may lead to pedestrian injuries or the rescue being slowed down by traffic. Faced with the difficulty of an urban and grassland fire, LFR decided to adapt.
In 2023, LFR adopted Bush 10, a modified Ford F550 with off-road capability. This vehicle is more maneuverable, saves time in urban conditions and significantly smaller and cost effective compared to a fire truck with a ladder. LFR also has a few standard, repurposed vehicles so that responses to medical incidents are quick and effective. The first unit arrival for EMS incidents is under seven minutes 95 percent of the time. LFR saves at least 95% of the value of a property threatened by fire 98% of the time. LFR also has a cardiac survival rate of 50%. This may sound bad, but the national cardiac survival rate is 33%. Overall, LFR is doing an excellent service for Lincoln and should continue to initiate and exert a positive influence on fire departments in other American cities.
https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/fire/documents/annual-report-2023.pdf
https://klin.com/2023/08/08/lincoln-fire-and-rescue-unveils-new-multipurpose-vehicle/
by Stuart Cuateco