PORT ALLEN — For around seven months, West Baton Rouge Parish has provided in-parish fire and emergency response services that significantly improve upon past response times. Since January alone, the parish has transported more than 1,000 people by ambulance, according to Fire Chief Butch Browning.
Following a $1.5 million grant from the State of Louisiana and funds from an opioid settlement, the parish was able to enhance its fire and emergency medical services, moving away from its previous reliance on private EMS providers, said Parish President Jason Manola.
Browning approached the parish president about adding ambulance services in West Baton Rouge that would also benefit the fire department by adding manpower on calls and ultimately pass along the majority of benefits to the residents of West Baton Rouge.
“It would create additional manpower for our fire department to where, when we go on scenes, you’d have these folks that are EMTs also cross-trained as firefighter operators, to give you additional manpower on structure fires and things of this nature,” Manola said.
Using $700,000 from the state grant, the parish purchased and outfitted four ambulances. Three ambulances are scheduled on duty at all times and are strategically placed throughout the parish, with a fourth occasionally in service, Browning said.
Acadian Ambulance continues to serve as a backup provider when needed.
“The whole premise is to get advanced life support to people in under 10 minutes, which we do,” Browning added.
Currently, the average emergency response time in the parish is 8 minutes and 48 seconds. The system operates through 12 fire stations covering the parish.
One of the most significant advantages of having a parish-run EMS, Browning noted, is that residents don’t have to pay out-of-pocket for emergency services. Even if they have insurance, they won’t receive a bill. Any uncovered costs are absorbed by the parish, Manola said.
“That’s old people, that’s poor people, that’s people that can’t afford to do these things, and those (ambulance) bills would have been burdensome to them,” Browning explained.
Other benefits for West Baton Rouge residents
The parish’s fire protection rating has also improved, a change that could benefit homeowners through reduced insurance premiums. In March, West Baton Rouge earned a Class 3 fire rating. Louisiana rates parishes on a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 indicating no fire protection at all. The rating considers factors such as the number of fire trucks, equipment, and trained personnel.
Having EMTs cross-trained as firefighters contributed to the improved rating, Browning said, since they are qualified to assist in firefighting operations during emergencies.
Previously, the parish had multiple fire district ratings. This is the first time the entire parish has received a unified, consolidated rating, according to Manola.
A higher fire rating often results in lower homeowners’ insurance premiums, as it indicates the community is well-prepared to handle fire emergencies.
With additional funding from the American Rescue Plan Act, the parish is also adding more water lines, especially in the northern part of the parish, to enhance firefighting capabilities, Manola added.
“We’ve been fortunate that we’ve been able to use state and federal dollars to provide better services and new services to our residents without going to our taxpayers,” Manola said.
Looking ahead, Browning said the parish hopes to secure additional grant funding to build a new fire station along Hwy. 190 in Erwinville.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
