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Flagler County community paramedics expand 'File of Life' kits and outreach to high‑use 911 callers
Summary
Community paramedics described a program aimed at repeat 911 users, fall victims and residents with social-service gaps; the county is distributing free 'File of Life' refrigerator kits (with meds, contacts and a state DNR) available by request at flaglercounty.gov/fcfr or by email, and cited roughly 21,000 medical calls last year.
Flagler County community paramedics outlined an outreach-based model of care that targets frequent 911 users and vulnerable residents while offering a revived "File of Life" emergency information kit free to county households.
Rob Errett and Tracy Farmer, Flagler County community paramedics, said their program focuses on medical prevention by visiting high-frequency callers, helping with discharge paperwork, connecting residents to social services and reducing emergency-department visits. "Eighty percent of what we do is medically related in the community," Errett said, noting Flagler County Fire Rescue ran about 21,000 medical calls last year with nine ambulances covering 571 square miles.
As part of the outreach effort, county fire-rescue has relaunched the File of Life kit — a magnetic red envelope intended to sit on the refrigerator that contains a medication list, allergies, emergency contacts, advanced-directive prompts and a copy of the state Do Not Resuscitate form. Errett said the kits are free to Flagler County residents and can be ordered via www.flaglercounty.gov/fcfr or by emailing com@flagler (the contact address listed at the town hall); staff offered a delivery option.
The paramedics described the kit contents in detail and said the program helps first responders avoid uncertainty when they encounter an incapacitated person at home. "If we see this sticker, that you have this packet with this information inside of it," Errett said, "we automatically have your med history, I have your allergies, I have your medication list." The presenters also stressed that a legal DNR must be signed by a physician and printed on the state form to be used in-home.
Paramedics said they receive referrals from field crews and hospital case managers and can visit homes to assess needs and connect residents to services for substance use, food insecurity, falls and discharge planning.
Ending: Officials encouraged residents to request kits or reach out with questions at the provided phone number and county web page. "All you have to do is reach out at any given point in time, and I'll be more than happy to get this information over to you," Errett said.
