Hemet Fire Department Will Roll Out New Medical Unit

HEMET, CA — The Hemet Fire Department announced Thursday it will add a medical response unit next month comprised of two firefighters and a small squad truck in an effort to keep up with increasing emergency calls.

Firefighters staffing "Medic 1" will have basic and advanced life support training and will be "part of a focused strategic effort that places emphasis on building additional emergency response capacity," Chief Scott Brown said in a statement.

Funding for the unit was provided in the city's recently approved 2018/2019 fiscal budget, which granted the department an additional six firefighters.

"The addition of Medic 1 will allow the HFD to address the dramatic increase in EMS calls for service in our city," said Hemet Mayor Michael Perciful.

The HFD responded to 16,918 service calls in 2017, according to Brown.

— By City News Service / Patch file photo by Renee Schiavone