KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Beginning March 15, paramedic services will be increased temporarily for the Duvall/Fire Protection District 45/Carnation area. This addition is intended to help maintain appropriate service levels during the closure and replacement of the NE 124th street bridge (Novelty Hill Bridge) over the Snoqualmie River, near Duvall.
These supplementary, paramedic services will be in place between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday until the bridge replacement process is complete. This effort will ensure that critically ill or injured patients receive prompt paramedic treatment during the peak rush hour times of the workweek.
"The residents of Duvall and Carnation should feel confident that Medic One services will continue to be available, should they need them," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director of Public Health - Seattle & King County.
The bridge is scheduled to close on March 15. Construction of the new bridge is expected to be completed by October 2000.
"This effort reflects the excellent partnership that exists between paramedic service providers, fire departments, and King County," added Plough. "This level of cooperation permits us to meet unique community needs as they arise."
The auxiliary services for the Duvall and Carnation area are being provided by a number of agencies including Evergreen Medic One, Fire District 45 in Duvall, Public Health - Seattle & King County, and Woodinville Fire and Life Safety. Additional paramedics will be mobilized from King County Medic One and the Shoreline Fire Department, as needed.
The supporting agencies will contribute the following:
- Evergreen Medic One will provide the primary paramedic staffing, medical supervision, and paramedic equipment and supplies.
- Fire District 45 in Duvall will provide a firefighter/emergency medical technician (EMT) driver as well as an emergency response vehicle.
- Woodinville Fire and Life Safety will provide a firefighter/EMT, as needed.
- Public Health's Emergency Medical Services Division will provide up to $20,000 to support this effort.
- Off-duty King County Medic One and Shoreline Fire Department paramedics who live in the area have also volunteered to work as paramedics on the unit.
- The agencies will work together to monitor the operations of the unit in order to measure the effects of the bridge closure on emergency medical response.
The agencies will work together to monitor the operations of the unit in order to measure the effects of the bridge closure on emergency medical response.
