COLUMBIA, Miss. (WDAM) - Response times could be dropping for the Columbia Fire Department.

Fire Chief Lyle Berard told WDAM 7 that the department gets several medical calls daily, many of them coming from doctor’s offices, clinics and nursing homes.

Berard said that these instances make up about 70% of CFD’s call volume.

“Unresponsive patients, bleeding and things like that,” said Berard. “Those are calls we’re trained to respond to.”

Berard shared that the fire department usually sends two of its six firemen to said calls.

In many cases, trained professionals already are present.

“Nurses, nurse practitioners (who) are very capable of providing necessary medical care without us responding,” Berard said.

It’s an issue Berard said is taking some firemen away from actual emergencies.

Berard addressed the Columbia Board of Alderman at its May 6 meeting in hopes of changing some of the current policy.

“We don’t want to tie up emergency services on minor medical calls, but especially those that need transport, which is a service that we don’t provide,” Berard said.

The board is currently researching a solution, according to Ward 4 Alderman Mike Smith.

“We’re going to other cities to see what their policy is, just to try and get that,” said Smith. “So, we’re in the study part of it right now.”

Smith said the board is working toward an answer that works for all of Columbia’s first responders.

“That way, we can come up with a list of the things we need to go to with the EMTs or we need to do with the ambulance,” said Smith.

Berard said he’s spoken with AAA Ambulance Service about possible changes.

The department’s members still want to be a help wherever they’re needed.

“We’re not going to take anything away from that list,” Berard said. “If anything, we’re going to add to it and present it to the board to see what they think is best moving forward.”

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