Purpose
This policy shall provide guidance to the management and operation of the Day Squad program for Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Incorporated. The purpose of the Day Squad program is to provide EMS service to the citizens of Gloucester County and to ensure an adequate and reasonable response to calls for assistance. Personnel employed by Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad Incorporated in the capacity of an EMS provider shall be governed by this policy.
Procedure
1. Organization:
The Day Squad Coordinator, who reports to the Assistant Chief, EMS, shall manage the Day Squad. The Day Squad Coordinator is responsible for the day-to-day management of the program, including scheduling, payroll, evaluation, assignment of duties, etc.
The Assistant Chief, EMS shall be responsible for the oversight of the Day Squad program. Final decisions regarding hiring and disciplinary actions shall be the responsibility of the Board of Directors, at the recommendation of the Assistant Chief, EMS. Personnel assigned to Day Squad report to the Day Squad Coordinator, regardless of rank or title within the organization.
2. Position Requirements
- Emergency Medical Technician
- EVOC Level 2
- Virginia Emergency Medical Technician Certification
- Authorized to drive GVFRS medic units
- Completed GVFRS BLS precept program
- Recommendation of Squad Sergeant and Station Captain
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician
- EVOC Level 2
- Virginia Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Certification
- Authorized to drive GVFRS medic units
- Completed GVFRS AEMT precept program
- Recommendation of Squad Sergeant and Station Captain
- Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate
- EVOC Level 2
- Virginia Emergency Medical Technician Intermediate Certification
- Authorized to drive GVFRS medic units
- Completed GVFRS ALS precept program
- Recommendation of Squad Sergeant and Station Captain
- Paramedic
- EVOC Level 2
- Virginia Paramedic Certification
- Authorized to drive GVFRS medic units
- Completed GVFRS ALS precept program
- Recommendation of Squad Sergeant and Station Captain
- Day Squad Coordinator
- EVOC Level 2
- Virginia Paramedic Certification
- Authorized to drive GVFRS medic units
- Completed GVFRS BLS precept program
- Recommendation of Assistant Chief, EMS
3. Pay Scale
The pay scale is set by the Board of Directors and is based on the individual’s level of certification. Pay scales are managed by the department’s Treasurer and Accountant and are set in the department’s payroll management software.
The Day Squad Coordinator shall be entitled to an additional $1.00 per hour above the base wage, for the performance of those duties.
An overtime rate of 1.5x base salary will be applied to those hours exceeding 40 hours in a week, and for normal hours during Thanksgiving day and Christmas day.
4. Benefits
The Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, Incorporated does not provide benefits to employees and is an exempt enterprise under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. In order to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, personnel are restricted to a maximum of 36 hours worked in any given week.
5. Operations
The operational period for the Day Squad program is 0600-1800, Monday through Friday. During the operational period, day squad personnel shall be scheduled to be on-duty. On-duty personnel are expected to be available and respond to calls for service and remain in radio contact at all times.
6. Daily Expectations
Logging Hours
Personnel assigned to Day Squad are expected to arrive on time to the assigned shift. Upon arrival at the station, personnel shall log their start and scheduled end time as well as their assigned station in I Am Responding. Personnel who work beyond the scheduled end time shall be compensated for the additional time worked but it will be the responsibility of the employee to adjust their end time past 1800, as needed. It is also the employee’s responsibility to ensure all shifts worked in a pay period are logged. The Day Squad Coordinator will not be held liable for pay not received due to a shift not being logged.
Upon arrival at the station, personnel shall complete the daily equipment check of the EMS Vehicles at the assigned station. In addition to daily ambulance checks and general housekeeping, the personnel assigned to Day Squad are expected to ensure that soiled durable EMS equipment, such as backboards, splints and spider straps, are properly decontaminated and put away before the end of their shifts.
Staffing and Response
If only one ALS provider is scheduled to work, regardless of the number of BLS providers, all personnel will run out of Station 1. If at any time, there are two BLS providers and one ALS provider assigned to Day Squad, it will be the ALS provider’s decision as to who responds on a first call. For example, if dispatched for a public assist or an MVC with no injuries, the ALS provider may send the two BLS providers, and the ALS provider will remain at Station 1 for a second call. If there is ANY question as to whether a call is ALS or BLS, the BLS providers will respond in the medic, and the ALS provider will respond EMS-10. If the call is ALS, the BLS provider who is third on the schedule will return EMS-10 to Station 1. If an incident dispatched is absolutely ALS, (chest pain, unresponsive, severe trauma), the ALS provider will respond on the medic, and leave one BLS provider at Station 1 for a second call. This decision making must be made with sound judgment, and the ultimate responsibility of who responds will fall on the ALS provider making the decision. If no driver is available for the second call and the primary crew is not available to provide a driver, then the third provider should respond to the scene in EMS-10 and request the nearest mutual aid agency respond to the scene.
7. Response Districts
When 2 full crews are available, responses will be handled in the following manner.
- For 1st call, St. 1 and St. 6 will respond to calls in their respective districts, i.e. 1 and 6.
- St. 4 response area will be split between the two.
- St. 6 crew will respond to all calls on Fary’s Mill Rd/Harcum Rd and East on Dutton Rd up to and including Hell Neck Rd.
- St. 6 will respond to all calls North of Fary’s Mill Rd/Harcum Rd.
- St. 1 will respond to all calls on and off of Indian Rd up to Fary’s Mill Rd, Figg Shop Rd and Dutton Rd up to, but excluding Hell Neck Rd.
- St. 6 will respond for mutual-aid to Lower King & Queen and Middlesex (Urbanna).
- St. 1 will respond for mutual-aid to Abingdon, Matthews, and Middlesex (Deltaville).
When dispatched for calls, it is expected that Day Squad personnel will promptly respond to the call. After transporting patients to the hospital, the unit should be placed in service as quickly as possible; personnel are expected to attend to tasks to ensure a speedy return-to-service before engaging in other activities. All disposable items are to be replenished from hospital stock, unless those items are not available through the Regional Ambulance Restocking Agreement. Personnel are expected to ensure that all units have adequate fuel (> ¾ tank) throughout their shift.
When dispatched to a fire call, it is imperative that a medic unit respond to the scene. If the fire call is a second call for rescue, the third provider will attempt to obtain a driver as noted for any EMS response. If the second unit is unable to obtain a driver, and the first unit is still unavailable, the third provider will make contact with Incident Command of the fire call to coordinate response.
If an incident that is dispatched has the potential to become an MCI, the third provider will respond EMS-10 to the scene. EMS-10 will be utilized as a command post.
8. Daily Activities
Day Squad personnel are expected to ensure that the station is neat and presentable throughout their shift and prior to leaving at the end of their shift. This expectation refers to general housekeeping and station maintenance but should not be construed to mean that the Day Squad staff should be responsible for cleaning behind volunteer squads. Any problems with volunteer crews regarding housekeeping should be directed to the Station EMS Captain responsible for the crew in question, and to the Day Squad Coordinator. Personnel are reminded that their primary duty is to respond to calls for service, which always takes precedence over housekeeping expectations. If housekeeping duties cannot be completed due to call volume, the oncoming crew will be notified of remaining tasks.
All daily assigned tasks shall be completed, prior to attending to personal tasks. Personnel may utilize free time at their will, providing that all tasks have been completed and that all calls are answered promptly. Personnel who need to nap during their duty hours shall only use the bunkrooms. If personnel use the bunkroom, it is expected that linens are placed in the laundry after use and the bed is made and presentable prior to leaving the station at the end of the shift.
Each person assigned to Day Squad might also be assigned a task by the Day Squad Coordinator, for which he or she is responsible for completing each day worked. Other daily assigned tasks should be completed prior to this task unless otherwise directed by the Day Squad Coordinator or Assistant Chief, EMS.
Every Monday, a daily equipment check will be performed on the medic unit at Station 4, which will be done by the crew assigned to Station 6. If there are only three providers working at Station 1, then this will be done by the third provider. If a high call volume prevents this from being accomplished, it must be passed on as soon as possible to the crew scheduled to work on Tuesday. This will then be the responsibility of either the Station 6 crew or the third provider depending on how many personnel are working. Attempts to check Station 4 should be done early in the day, and multiple attempts may be necessary.
Each month, the Day Squad Coordinator will indicate days in which vehicles should be fully inventoried. This should be completed as early as possible during the shift and prior to the end of the shift. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent the task from being completed on the day assigned, the Day Squad Coordinator should be notified to reassign the task for another day.
It is expected that all calls for service be documented in ESO prior to the end of the workday. All calls shall be documented, even if there was no patient contact; this includes calls for public service, alarm activations, motor vehicle collisions without injuries, calls canceled prior to arrival, and any other time that a unit is dispatched to an incident. Per Virginia OEMS regulations (§12VAC5-31-1140), reports are to be submitted to the receiving facility within 12 hours of occurrence. Other reports for calls should be completed prior to the end of the shift.
Personnel are required to precept new members and students from GVFRS-sponsored training and education programs with which GVFRS has entered into a clinical agreement. All students and new members will be scheduled by the Day Squad Coordinator to ensure only one ride-along per shift. Efforts will be made to ensure Day Squad staff are notified in advance if they will have a new member or student to precept.
Any problems with equipment or supplies should be forwarded to the responsible officers upon discovery. If there is any problem notifying the appropriate person, refer your problem to the Day Squad Coordinator or the Assistant Chief, EMS. Problems found at the beginning of the shift should be noted in the electronic check-off form which is then automatically sent to the respective officer in charge.
As paid representatives of Gloucester Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad, Incorporated, Day Squad personnel are expected to maintain a professional attitude, demeanor and appearance. This includes ensuring that attire is clean and free from stains and damage. Personnel are reminded that our community is our customer, and to conduct themselves accordingly in all interactions with patients, facility staff, family members, bystanders and visitors.
Day squad staff are to set a good example for night and weekend duties required for good standing with the EMS side of the department.
9. Scheduling
Based on scheduling needs and personnel availability, it is the intention that personnel are scheduled for an average of two shifts per pay period. Generally, personnel should not expect to be scheduled for more than 36 hours in a pay period, barring extenuating circumstances.
Availability for scheduling shall be submitted to the Day Squad Coordinator by the 15th of the month for the next month’s schedule (e.g., availability for February’s schedule is due by January 15th). The Day Squad Coordinator will, in turn, provide a draft schedule by the 20th of the month, for the next month’s schedule. Personnel will have until the 25th of the month to notify the Day Squad Coordinator of any conflicts, errors or necessary changes to the draft schedule. Personnel who did not submit availability may provide notice of their availability to the Day Squad Coordinator to fill any schedule vacancies after the draft schedule has been released, and before the 25th of the month. The final schedule will be completed and distributed by the 25th of the month. All attempts will be made to provide the schedule as early as possible.
After distribution of the final schedule, Day Squad Personnel are expected to ensure coverage and make schedule trades among themselves for any conflicts that arise in the schedule. The Day Squad Coordinator shall be notified of any changes in the schedule as soon as possible. If changes are made within 48 hours of a shift, the person making the change should notify the Day Squad Coordinator and the members of the affected Day Squad shift.
All personnel assigned to Day Squad shall remain in good standing with the EMS side of the department. Personnel will complete their reports in ESO as required by law in the State of Virginia §12VAC5-31-1140. Any member who has PCRs unlocked or left in CAD for a period of two weeks or longer will not be assigned hours in the following months. If a member with delinquent reports is able to complete those reports after the final schedule is sent, he or she may fill in any remaining openings in the following month with approval from the Day Squad Coordinator and EMS Chief.
10. Leave of Absence
Day Squad personnel may request a leave of absence of up to one month, each year. All requests for leave of absence must be submitted in writing; however, it is assumed that any employee who fails to provide availability for a given month is requesting a leave of absence. Personnel who remain unavailable for more than one month in a given calendar year may be subject to termination at the discretion of the Day Squad Coordinator and / or the Assistant Chief, EMS. Extenuating circumstances (personal matters, illness, etc.) shall be considered prior to a termination decision.
11. Re-Employment
Personnel who were previously employed by the Day Squad, and left in good standing, may reapply for a position when a position becomes available. Previously employed applicants shall be considered equally with any other applicants for an available position.
Change Log:
June 1, 2024 – Published to website
April 1, 2022 – Original