New Bedford, MA EMS Embarrassment

[Dustdevil]

What an embarrassment. This is why agencies should have policies in place prohibiting their employees from speaking to the media. His rant only goes to prove that he does indeed need supervision. This illiterate should be fired post-haste.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.d...INION/903260345

LETTER: Paramedics don't need field supervisors

March 26, 2009 6:00 AM

Paramedics don't need field supervisors

As a paramedic in the city of New Bedford, I feel we have been left out in the definition of public safety. We as a profession are the personnel who are the eyes and ears of the city's sick and injured for the hospital. The major role and responsibility we take, day in and day out, as part of public safety goes unrecognized around here.

It's true the field supervisors took a hit with the city's financial crisis; however, the idea that this decreases the level of care is far from the truth. We as a group are well trained and experienced EMT paramedics that confront almost the most unimaginable circumstances, and we are probably ranked as the best, or one of the best, systems of emergency medical personnel around this surrounding area.

Some may say because of supervision, but if you were able to pull all the EMS-run reports, our former supervisors are not on any of them as practicing or contributing paramedics. Meaning, we provide the care and ongoing exceptional care until the patient is transferred to the Emergency Department.

Not much emphasis or recognition takes place in EMS, which has been my personal beef, and to say we can't handle EMS without field supervision is wrong.

Also, discipline never took place for not responding to calls or responding in a timely fashion because I can assure you based on call volume there's hardly a day or night you'll see us (ambulances) standing still.

We run the city of New Bedford with three ambulances, 24 full-time paramedics and a number of part-time paramedics who will continue to provide the best care you could ever imagine without our so-called field supervision.

Benjamin Fuertes

Acushnet

[JPINFV]

[firedoc5]

Uh, OK????

I wanted to be a Parmedick, now I are one.

[zzyzx]

Idiot.

[wrmedic82]

DE DE DE

[CBEMT]

NBEMS is having a bad month. The sups were already laid off, and the other day the mayor declared his intention to fold EMS into the Fire Department.

It's not surprising that one of them decided to spout off.

Edited March 27, 2009 by CBEMT

[Dustdevil]

Doh! I totally forgot that was the service you posted about a couple days ago. That definitely sheds some light on this drama. I can understand the guy's frustration with the bleak future outlook he now has. It's just unfortunate that he go make their image even worse with this "we don't need no stinkin' supervisors" act.