Breezy Point, Minn.
Breezy Point, a city of 2,500 residents, sees that number soar to more than 10,000 during the tourist season. However, the city?s ambulances were stationed 20 minutes away. To provide quicker care, the city entered into a partnership with North Memorial Ambulance Service.
The city employs police officers who are also trained as paramedics, while North Memorial provides equipment and medical control. The skills provided by these officers include administering several medications, intravenous therapy, endotracheal intubation, as well as cardiac monitoring and defibrillation. When a call is received, police paramedics are dispatched and are able to begin advanced life support procedures within minutes.
This program saves lives as well as costs. With most equipment and medications provided by North Memorial, the costs incurred by the city are minimal. The city pays on average $14,000 annually to support the program.