Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

Palatine Fire Dept- Notice of Privacy Practices

  1. Palatine Fire Department Notice of Privacy Practices (PDF)

Ambulance

Our Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Division includes 86 licensed Paramedics operating 4 front-line (and one fully equipped reserve) advanced life support (ALS) ambulances from stations throughout the Village of Palatine. In addition to front line ambulances, our fire apparatus are equipped with ALS equipment. Palatine responds with an ambulance and a fire apparatus (engine, tower, quint or squad) to emergency calls. Personnel on our fire apparatus are also paramedics and can respond and provide the same quality care as the personnel on our ambulances. The Palatine Fire Department responds to approximately 8,000 calls each year with 73% of those calls being emergency medical service (EMS) calls.

Training & Licensing

Palatine paramedics work under guidelines established by the Northwest Community Emergency Medical Services System. Paramedic training consists of classroom and practical experience. Continuing Education is an important part of the EMS program. Palatine paramedics must attend monthly EMS in-station training provided by instructors from Northwest Community Hospital and are required to pass exams at the end of each class in order to maintain their license from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Automated CPR Device (Lucas Device)CPR Device

The Battalion Chief's vehicle is equipped with the LUCAS device, an automated CPR device. The LUCAS device has been shown to improve quality of chest compressions, increase ETCO2 levels as well as being able to sustain life-saving circulation during prolonged resuscitation attempts. With the LUCAS device there is no longer a need for switching CPR providers every two minutes. LUCAS helps provide high-quality and safer chest compressions in situations such as patient movement and transportation, during prolonged CPR.


Hospitals

Paramedics must transport patients to the closest hospital per Illinois Law, but with permission from Medical Control we can transport to the following hospitals depending on the emergency: