SCOTT CITY -- As a rule, fire departments are known for their adaptability.

When a shortfall in emergency response systems exists, generally there are firefighters on hand to fill the deficiency. The Scott City Volunteer Fire Department is no exception.

A decade ago the closest ambulance service in North Scott County was at Benton, at best eight to 10 minutes from a Scott City emergency medical call. So in 1984, the Scott City Fire Department adapted and overcame the problem: It modified department vehicles to serve as rescue trucks to handle emergency medical calls when seconds count.

The frequency of calls and other evidence of a need for the service prompted the North Scott County Ambulance Service to station a unit in Scott City full time. But that didn't curb the fire department's efforts.

"Even if we end up just assisting the ambulance service, the calls give our guys the opportunity to use some of the training they've received," said Scott City Fire Chief Les Crump. "And more often than not, the ambulance crew is going to need some help."

That was the case with a school bus accident a few years ago just south of the Scott City limits. Seventeen children riding the bus were injured. With the help of the fire department, the lone ambulance crew that responded was able to handle the heavy casualty load.

The fire and rescue trucks carry equipment ambulances don't have like pry bars and the Jaws of Life tool. The department staffs three paramedics, eight emergency medical technicians and nine first-responders.

Since it is a volunteer fire department, the firefighter closest to the station generally takes the truck to the scene of the call. Other firefighters meet him there.

The average response time to a call -- medical or otherwise -- during the day is two to three minutes; at night it rarely takes more than five minutes to respond to a call within the city limits.

During the day, Crump tends to business around the station and performs truck-driving duties himself. In the evening, if there is training at department headquarters or chores to be done, a complement of firefighters are on hand.

"It's a lot of work for a bunch of volunteers," said Crump. "The firefighters here sacrifice a lot of their time and energy for the city.

"And, if I had to speculate, I would say there are definitely a few people walking around today enjoying a normal life because we got to them so quickly," said Crump.

Crump estimated that about 70 percent of the calls the department receives annually are medical runs.

Brad Golden, a registered nurse and paramedic with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, serves as Scott City's chief medical officer. In his role, Golden conducts continuing education classes for first- responders and emergency medical technicians, makes sure all department members' medical licenses are up to date, submits necessary paperwork to the state, and coordinates training activities between the Scott City Fire Department and other mutual-aid departments.

Bill Crump, deputy chief of the Scott City Fire Department who also is a paramedic with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department, helps with medical training and is in charge of research and acquisition of equipment.

Through their experiences with the Scott City Fire Department, Bill Crump and Golden were able to help the Cape Girardeau Fire Department set up the first-responder system it implemented in May 1993.

"A lot of the medical equipment we started out with was donated by area civic groups and organizations," said Les Crump. "We used what money we had to build on that, ending up with the supplies we carry today."

The department's rescue truck was designed by its members to carry a full complement of medical and rescue supplies. Two lightweight packs with basic life-support equipment lay on top of the specialty equipment heavy bags, ready for medics to grab and rush to the scene. Secondary personnel carry other equipment to the patient as needed.

"We've had a lot of time to experiment with it, but we have a pretty good system worked out here," said Crump.

Golden said: "Medical responsibilities are part of the evolution of fire departments taking place now. Since Scott City has been doing it for so long they are that much ahead of the game. They provide a valuable service to the residents of Scott City."