On Monday, December 23rd, 2019, Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District received their Advanced Life Support License from the State of Florida and ALS vehicle permits to begin providing Advanced Life Support-Paramedic services to the citizens of the District.
The District plans to begin providing these services on January 13, 2020 at 0800 hours. The District began working towards providing this level of service back in May 2017 when the Fire Commissioners approved an ALS Business Plan.
Part of this Business Plan called for sending some their Firefighter/EMT’s to Paramedic School. The first class started in the fall of 2017. The District now has over 15 State Certified Paramedics’, and more are still attending Paramedic school.
In the summer of 2019, the District applied for their Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (COPCN) to operate ALS Non-Transport Paramedic Fire Engines to Manatee County and was granted approval. Upon receipt of this certificate, the District then submitted it along with the State of Florida’s application for operating ALS services.
The first ALS Engine to provide this service will be Engine 351 that operates out of Station 5 on Honore Avenue that protects the University Park area. The District plans to place another ALS Engine in service sometime during late February 2020.