This is National Emergency Medical Services Week (May 17-23), and Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue is honored to serve within a system of first responders who are ready to provide lifesaving medical care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

TVF&R’s highly trained firefighter paramedics, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians are committed to providing fast and effective care to improve survival and recovery rates of patients.

In 2019, TVF&R crews responded to 34,556 medical calls. In order to ensure patients receive advanced life support services in the field, at least one paramedic is assigned to every apparatus.

People may not always think of our firefighters and paramedics as healthcare providers, but they are.

Crews respond to 911 calls for patients who experience a variety of medical emergencies from falls to chest pain to strokes, heart attacks, sudden cardiac arrest, and trauma injuries in a motor vehicle collision.

To address increases in emergency service demands, TVF&R strategically sites stations and deploys additional resources such as a car staffed by one firefighter paramedic or a two-person medic unit to get a paramedic to the scene quickly and begin critical care. Medic units also provide ambulance transports in Yamhill and Clackamas counties and backup transports in Washington County.

To enhance the level of care patients receive when they call 911, firefighters complete thousands of hours of specialized training and continuing education to hone their skills. TVF&R also collects data and participates in studies to evaluate protocols, procedures used, and medications given.

TVF&R is committed to improving outcomes for patients by tracking data about the care our crews provide to see where we can make a difference.