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Report recommends EMS dispatch on high‑life‑hazard fires; urges police-fire coordination
Summary
Jensen Hughes found Sedgwick County EMS was not automatically assigned to structure fires unless a trapped victim was reported and recommended dispatching a transport unit to high‑life‑hazard residential fires; it also urged policy ties between Wichita Police and fire for scene safety and traffic control.
Jensen Hughes told commissioners that, at the time of the Brook Hollow fire, Sedgwick County EMS was not automatically dispatched to structure fires unless a trapped person was reported. The firm noted the EMS district chief self‑dispatched a transport unit after hearing radio traffic but recommended standard dispatch of transport units for apartment fires with high life‑hazard potential.
"Since EMS is not automatically assigned to a structure fire response unless someone is reported trapped, the Wichita fire department must be prepared to triage and treat victims until they can be transferred to EMS," the presentation said. The consultants recommended dispatching transport-capable EMS units on initial alarms for apartment and other high-life-risk structure fires.
On police, Jensen Hughes said the Wichita Police Department played a small but useful role (traffic control, dealing with a belligerent individual and witness interviews). The firm recommended formal policies for police assistance on fire scenes per IACP model procedures so police can actively assist with sizeups, occupant alert and traffic control without compromising scene safety.
