Firemonkey Madness in Las Vegas

[Dustdevil]

FD wants to take over EMS to save their jobs. What a shock.

And out of the other side of their mouths, they're always telling us it's all about the patients, and that the privates are only doing it for the money. Hypocritical bastards.

http://www.ems1.com/...s-to-save-jobs/

Good vid at the above link, so check it out.

Interesting, the fire chief says they're "not interested" in taking over all EMS, only the most serious patients. Sound familiar? In other words, they're not interested in actually having to work for a living. They just want to skim the money and glory off of the top. Yeah... that's in the public interest.

Below space reserved for 46Young's rebuttal.

Edited June 9, 2010 by EMT City Administrator
Full article removed - link to story left.

[sirduke]

How very typical.

The local group of Firemonkeys here want to combine EMS and Fire, claiming they would be benefiting EMS.

The truth is, they have a crappy old station, EMS has a new station, EMS is within budget and they are way over budget.

They have decided that they will take over EMS, train us to be firemonkeys, no mention of the fact that none of them are EMT's and forget any of them being Paramedics.

The chief Firemonkey stated that we would be trained as firemonkeys first, and when time and funding permitted, then the hose jockeys would be allowed to go to school and become EMTs, but he didn't see the need to have them become Paramedics as we already have medics.

[HERBIE1]

Same old story. Vegas FD wants to take only the most critically ill patients and leave the routine stuff for the private providers. Gee- I wonder why they don't want to take over ALL EMS transports for the area? Could it be that they KNOW that the routine, nonemergent types(read BS calls) are either self pay or those on assistance that reimburse pennies on the dollar? So the privates are left with a significant decrease in their revenue stream and are forced out of the area.

At least the fire chief was honest- it has nothing to do with providing better care or service to the citizens, it's a self serving ploy to save their own arses.

[Dustdevil]

At least the fire chief was honest- it has nothing to do with providing better care or service to the citizens, it's a self serving ploy to save their own arses.

Actually, in the video clip, he flat out says that he believes his department will provide "better service".

The video is actually pretty funny. At the council meeting, all the Medic West guys showed up en masse in red t-shirts, which looked really stupid and un-professional. But the funny thing is, all the firemonkeys showed up in yellow t-shirts. I bet they were pissed that Medic West got the red shirts before they could.

Edited February 20, 2010 by Dustdevil

[46Young]

Survival of the fittest. This is why I don't recommend the privates as a place to make a career in EMS. The local gov't ultimately reserves the right to run EMS as they see fit. I hate to see people lose their jobs, but it's an "us or them" mentality. If it's a choice of my job or the next guy's, I choose to keep mine. I'm not going to let my family starve if I have a way to prevent that.

The IAFF uses yellow shirts to provide high visibility by choice. Because it works. Look at the video. Who jumps out at you, and appear to be in greater number?

[JPINFV]

Yep... because emergency medical care isn't about quality, it's about jobfare for fire fighters. Oh, and the fire department is not the "local government" in charge of deciding who gets to play. That's the city council so stop trying to portray it as the fire department's choice. Additionally, if the fire department wants to play in EMS, then play the entire game. At least attempt to show that you care about the population that your "sworn" to protect past screwing them over for a pay check.

[HERBIE1]

Survival of the fittest. This is why I don't recommend the privates as a place to make a career in EMS. The local gov't ultimately reserves the right to run EMS as they see fit. I hate to see people lose their jobs, but it's an "us or them" mentality. If it's a choice of my job or the next guy's, I choose to keep mine. I'm not going to let my family starve if I have a way to prevent that.

The IAFF uses yellow shirts to provide high visibility by choice. Because it works. Look at the video. Who jumps out at you, and appear to be in greater number?

No, it's survival of who has the bigger lobbying presence and tradition. Sheer numbers do not make something "better".

SO you are OK with pushing something that has nothing to do with making a situation better for the people you are supposedly trying to serve? That's selfish, dude. NOBODY wants to lose their jobs and I would do whatever it takes to take care of my family, but don't pretend this solution is actually what's best for the citizens. There is NO evidence to support that theory and actually more than enough evidence(verifiable and anecdotal) to make a solid contrary argument This is about politics and nothing more.

Actually, in the video clip, he flat out says that he believes his department will provide "better service".

The video is actually pretty funny. At the council meeting, all the Medic West guys showed up en masse in red t-shirts, which looked really stupid and un-professional. But the funny thing is, all the firemonkeys showed up in yellow t-shirts. I bet they were pissed that Medic West got the red shirts before they could.

"The change would produce revenue for the city and "hopefully prevent the loss of some of our fire service folks," Fire Chief Al Gillespie said".

That was the statement I saw, and his real intentions here.

[aussiephil]

Survival of the fittest. This is why I don't recommend the privates as a place to make a career in EMS. The local gov't ultimately reserves the right to run EMS as they see fit. I hate to see people lose their jobs, but it's an "us or them" mentality. If it's a choice of my job or the next guy's, I choose to keep mine. I'm not going to let my family starve if I have a way to prevent that.

The IAFF uses yellow shirts to provide high visibility by choice. Because it works. Look at the video. Who jumps out at you, and appear to be in greater number?

I thought you had some intelligence. This shows what I have been saying all along. Its only about more revenue coming in. They say that. IOt is also about Fire doing more 'Hero' work so they cant be out of peoples minds. Lets have a reality check. Take all medical from them, run it seperate, with no input or involvment, then we will see how they go.

[Dustdevil]

I don't mind the honesty of 46Young's statement that it is "us or them" about the jobs. I can respect that. That's the world we live in. What I don't like (among the many things I dislike about this) is when dishonest arguments are made to push that agenda, and when the firemen pretend to hold some moral high ground of altruism over the privates. At least when it is a third service agency they are competing with, they lose the ability to float that stinker.

[HERBIE1]

I don't mind the honesty of 46Young's statement that it is "us or them" about the jobs. I can respect that. That's the world we live in. What I don't like (among the many things I dislike about this) is when dishonest arguments are made to push that agenda, and when the firemen pretend to hold some moral high ground of altruism over the privates. At least when it is a third service agency they are competing with, they lose the ability to float that stinker.

Agreed. I have no problem with protecting your own interests, but we are also dealing with public safety here, not making widgets in a factory and the owners decide to make their product in China because it's cheaper. It's the owner's prerogative to make money, but that does not mean his product will be any better, just cheaper. The problem is, a 3rd service provider generally does not have the resources to put up a fair fight with the fire service. As big as a private provider may be, it's still no match for the IAFF, their PAC groups and lobbyists, or more importantly, their PR machine aimed at the citizens. John Q Public has no idea what the issues are in this- they simply want someone to show up when they need help. Whether or not they have good service or the providers who respond are competent, is something they may never really know or fully understand- especially if that experience is limited to one or 2 instances. There are quality people on both sides of this, as well as utter morons, so you also don't want to use too broad of a brush to paint this picture.