Emergency Response in Specialized Areas

Hear about emergency response in specialized areas as the panel discusses recent events at Walt Disney World® Resort in the latest episode of Fire Headlines by WFCA.

Emergency Response in Specialized Areas

A recent article featured in the Daily Dispatch examines what emergency response looks like at Walt Disney World®. The Reedy Creek Improvement District Emergency Services is now known as the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District. Situated at the core of its jurisdiction, this department is located just behind Epcot.

The department has a unique EMS service delivery program where they station paramedics and EMTs within the theme park and surrounding resorts. This program helps significantly reduce patient contact time. Chiefs Bob Horton and Jeff Buchanan spoke with Fire Headlines host, Samantha Didion, about emergency response in specialized areas.

Emergency Response in Disney vs. the Country

Chief Buchanan explains how Walt Disney World® theme parks resemble self-contained cities within the broader city of Orlando. This unique fire district operates similarly to other city fire departments across the country. The article highlights a noteworthy statistic: Walt Disney World® visitors have a 60 to 70 percent chance of surviving a cardiac arrest compared to the typical 10 percent chance they would face anywhere else in the country.

Chief Horton applauds this statistic but says the comparison should be made to other theme parks rather than the country as a whole since the response is tailored to Walt Disney World® parks and resorts. The program in place with the fire district ensures ample distribution of AEDs throughout the area and provides customized training for the firefighters. In the interview featured in this article, the firefighter mentions that a defibrillator is already on the patient’s chest before crews even arrive on the scene. This highlights the importance of having public AEDs readily available and easily accessible. 

Listener Question

This week, a listener submitted a question to the panel, asking “What is the most memorable or interesting call you have responded to during your time in the fire service?” Chief Buchanan recalls his response to the Route 91 Harvest Fest incident. Chief Horton shares two lighthearted stories, one of which gave the call center a good laugh when a caller thought they were reporting a wildfire.

You can email Fire Headlines at [email protected].

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