LAFD's ambulance pilot program to go ahead

April 27--A City Council committee recommended going ahead with Fire Chief Brian Cummings' plan to shift more firefighters to ambulances, despite union criticisms that it would create new safety risks.

"I don't want to go to another firefighter funeral," Councilman Joe Buscaino, a retired police officer, said during a hearing before the Public Safety Committee. "I responded to emergency calls with my firefighter brothers for 15 years and I don't want them put in any more danger."

However, the panel was prohibited from overruling the program as Cummings has sole authority over deployment of personnel.

Cummings said his proposal is designed to improve response times and provide the department with more flexibility. The plan, scheduled to being May 5, would reduce light forces and tactical forces by shifting one firefighter to ambulance duty.

"Last year, we responded to 4,500 fire calls," Cummings said. "In the next six days, we will respond to 4,500 emergency medical calls. Safety to the public and safety to my firefighters is my No. 1 concern.

"This is an inherently dangerous profession. I can't guarantee that something won't happen to a firefighter today. But my concern is always safety."

Under his plan, Cummings said he hopes to improve the response time for routine emergencies, free up paramedic ambulances for life-saving calls and also keep light force vehicles available for

structure fires.

"Right now, if we have to send a light force out to respond to a medical emergency, they could be tied up when another call comes in," Cummings said. "I would rather have a five-member truck available to respond than to have six firefighters tied up on a medical call."

However, representatives of the Chief Officers Association and the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, in a rare agreement, argued they were excluded from developing the program and they have yet to see a detailed plan from Cummings with the data supporting the program.

Cummings has said he will provide a full report to the Fire Commission on May 21.

COA President Andy Fox said a similar program had been tried 10 years ago and was abandoned by the City Council.

"We think you will come back and restore these positions," Fox said. "We don't oppose the new ambulances. What we are concerned with is public safety and firefighter safety.

"This is also about process. You have been provided with a single-page document on this and the chief is promising a full report with all the data in two weeks. You should have that now."

Fox and UFLAC President Frank Lima said they were never consulted about the program and not given an opportunity to suggest changes to it.

Councilman Dennis Zine also voiced his opposition to the program as well as frustration at the inability of the committee to block or revise it.

"I don't like this idea," Zine said. "I think it will put too many firefighters in danger."

Zine also complained that more public education is needed and closer cooperation with hospitals to reduce the amount of time firefighters and medical technicians are kept waiting for a bed to become available. Councilman Mitch Englander, chair of the panel, said the city is limited in what it can do at this point because of budget considerations.

"Until we can provide the money that will restore the Fire Department to the level it needs to be at, there is not much we can do," Englander said.

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