DENVER — When a wildfire starts, alongside the firefighters are medical professionals, ready to help in case a firefighter gets hurt. At Denver Health, 16 paramedics and eight communications officers serve on the Wildland Team. They're ready to jump in on the fire line when they're called up through the National Interagency Fire Center.
"We’re ready for it. We’re prepared for it," said Logan Opalinski, a paramedic with Denver Health and fire line paramedic with the Wildland Team. "We obviously have the ability and the structure to treat and transport really anything that we need to.
" "There's been a couple where people have been struck by trees or some dehydration, electrolyte issues, heatstroke," Opalinski said. Opalinski was sent down to Pueblo weeks ago to help crews battling the Oak Ridge Fire, embedding with the people on the front lines of the fire. Credit: Logan Opalinski / Denver Health Oak Ridge Fire "We're there to save the firefighters' lives and God forbid, any civilian that would be left around," Opalinski said.
"We’re all on the fire line with those medics, which is why we carry full packs and gear and emergency shelters. And we can help out as necessary with firefighting operations if critical incidents arise. But it’s understood on the teams that we’re there ‘in case.
’ We’re a big ‘in case’ factor.” On their backs, they carry axes, AEDs and the equipment they'll need to save a life. "We can go with hot shots.
They're elite. They're esse.