Answer: Excellent question. Fire fighters follow medical direction and protocols that differ in some ways than EMS. The burn dressings that EMS and fire departments use are varied and even differ among EMS and fire services themselves.
To answer your question, paramedics can allow the ointment to be applied by fire as they are following their own medical directives and protocols. Paramedics should apply dressings for burns that are supplied by their EMS service.