Instead of sending a big engine with several firefighters -- and possibly police officers and paramedics -- Squad 1 may take the call instead. None of the crew members are firefighters. Conradson is a community paramedic. The other crew members include a crisis intervention counselor and experts at helping people navigate the complex world of social services. Proactive steps, like this simple check-in, aim to prevent those non-emergency calls.
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This proactive approach, mixed with Squad 1's triaging of 911 calls as they come in, represents a major shift in culture and thought for the fire department.
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"We're very traditional," Chief Dale Lyman said with a laugh. "We like to send lots of people and big trucks to things."