Union blasts mayor for not using jakes as EMTs

[CBEMT]

The bitter battle between firefighters and Mayor Thomas M. Menino took another turn yesterday as the fire union accused City Hall of putting citizens at risk by blocking jakes from responding to shootings and stabbings.

Union officials fired off an e-mail to city councilors over the weekend, calling for change to a policy that requires Emergency Medical Services and police to go to so-called “Priority 1” calls, but not firefighters, most of whom are trained paramedics [WRONG, CRITICAL RESEARCH FAIL -CB]. The union pointed to a stabbing at the Dudley Square MBTA station last week just steps from a fire house.

“Why wouldn’t the city send four trained (firefighter) EMTs if one of their citizens was shot or stabbed?” Local 718 President Ed Kelly said.

“In the case on Dudley Street, our firefighters could have been to that victim in one minute.”

But Menino spokeswoman Dot Joyce said, “Having (firefighters) respond to shootings and stabbings isn’t the best use of their time, equipment or training. The equipment is not built to respond to shootings and stabbings and their training is not in police work.”

Firefighters are required to undergo EMT training within one year of joining the department, and fire trucks are equipped with life-saving equipment. But one official said there are currently as many as 70 firefighters who have yet to receive EMT training.

A City Hall hearing has already been held on the issue, but the union is calling on the council to hold another.

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