Another Hostile FD Takeover

[Chief1C]

In which case, 4C6, could you elaborate on your comment regarding Municipalities running an EMS, an FD, or a combined FD/EMS?

I believe I did. I don't feel that rural municipalities should try to shoot from the hip, and run emergency services. Has nothing to do with big cities and mass population areas.

Some companies may be good ole boy. But a lot of the politics are run by the good ole boy club too.

[UMSTUDENT]

More in Pennsylvania is messed up besides EMS. Everything is pretty much locally controlled. No economies of scale to provide adequate services. With the exception of a few large municipalities, most Pennsylvanians live in rural "Pennsyl-tuckey." Counties provide very few services with the exception of tax assessments, sheriff's departments (typically warrant serving agencies with little law enforcement responsibilities), and jails. Everything else is typically handled by local boroughs, townships, cities, etc. Most basic law originates in local magistrates, who like ALL justices (including their Supreme Court), are elected. The local UPS driver might be your magistrate so long as they take a course...

Schools, police, fire, EMS, etc is typically handled by the local jurisdiction. This leads to tons of individual school districts, dinky (sometimes unprofessional) police departments, and borderline, sometimes barely existent fire & EMS. You can also imagine the small town mentality that sets in when locals have access to millions of dollars in tax funds (paid for largely on the backs of property owners- PA has relatively high property taxes-for everything).

For EMS this has big disadvantages and now lost advantages. For one, funding is non-existent. It does allow the jurisdictions to have purview over how, and to what extent, they want to provide service. Unfortunately this typically doesn't end up being the advantage it could be. Up until a few years ago, ALS protocols were largely jurisdictional. They're now statewide-something I find a big letdown.

This is why so many people who know Pennsylvania had a huge problem with Wang's intubation study. It was done statewide in a state that is VERY rural. ALS is provided by a variety of different delivery models.

Edited April 18, 2010 by UMSTUDENT

[Chief1C]

locally controlled

"Commonwealth" of Pennsylvania

[Dustdevil]

New(ish) article on this old story. The interesting part is the last paragraph. WTF? We're talking about Pa, aren't we? Why are they suddenly giving us the history of New Jersey first aid squads?

http://www.ems1.com/fire-ems/articles/816218-EMS-duties-given-to-Pa-firefighters-spurring-controversy/

May 06, 2010

EMS duties given to Pa. firefighters, spurring controversy

More than 150 township residents gathered at a town meeting this week to find out why emergency medical services have been disbanded

By Veronica Slaght

The Eastern Express Times

LEBANON TWP., Pa. — More than 150 township residents gathered at a town meeting this week to find out why the township's emergency medical services have been transferred from the rescue squad to the fire department. Most went home disappointed.

The crowd — which was standing room only Monday night in the Woodglen School's auditorium — asked elected officials why they had rescinded the Lebanon Township First Aid Squad's responsibilities, taking away their ambulances and other equipment and instructing the county 911 center to halt calls to the agency.

But Mayor Jay Weeks and three other committee members refused to speak about the issue on their attorney's advice because the squad has filed a lawsuit. Superior Court Judge Peter Buchsbaum is scheduled to hear the case 10 a.m. May 21 at the Hunterdon County Justice Center in Flemington.

In a statement read by the township attorney, Weeks and the two other committee members named in the suit said they had good reason for eliminating the squad, citing issues with management, accountability and quality of service.

"They use the township's name, land and financial contributions but refuse to submit to an audit," the statement said.

While supporters of the firefighters and squad members lined up on opposite sides of the room, everyone applauded when David Shoaf criticized the committee for shutting down the squad without seeking public input.

There's a difference between what's legal and what's right, Shoaf, a farmer, said, adding: "I suggest you shop around and find another law firm who can guide you as to what is right."

Deputy Fire Chief Ed Shaffer, an emergency medical technician, urged EMTs in the squad to consider joining the fire department. The fire department has eight EMTs, while the squad has 28. He said the dispute is just between the committee and the squad.

Charlotte Fels, 91, said the ambulance squad has taken her to the hospital on several occasions but recently a squad from Berkley Heights responded.

"They got me there. That's all I can say," she said.

Of the Lebanon Township squad, she said: "They're dedicated; they know what they're doing; they're a team." Shutting down the squad is "sacrilege," she said. "I plead with you, before it's too late, don't let a very good thing that this town has go away."

Committeeman Frank Morrison made a motion to reinstate the squad, which was defeated 3-2.

Under current state law, municipalities are not required to provide emergency medical services, but most towns have rescue squads, said Barbara Harras, president of the New Jersey State First Aid Council. She added that the state's first squad formed in Monmouth County in 1929.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Dustdevil

[Kiwiology]

Dare I say any group called a "First Aid Squad" should somwhow be forever banned from providing prehospital medicine?

[Matt W]

This is LEBANON BORO, NJ. Not Lebanon Twsp PA. The express times made a mistake....again.

[Richard B the EMT]

Dare I say any group called a "First Aid Squad" should somwhow be forever banned from providing prehospital medicine?

We are, after all, talking about NJ, where if the ambulance service is not called an EMS, it is called a "First Aid Squad". (To NJ members of EMT City: Is this traditional?)

[Dustdevil]

This is LEBANON BORO, NJ. Not Lebanon Twsp PA. The express times made a mistake....again.

Ah! Well, that almost makes me lose all interest I had in this story. But at the same time, it also thickens the plot. As firmly established as the "first aid squads" are in NJ, this kind of FD takeover cannot possibly be very common, can it?

[Matt W]

We are, after all, talking about NJ, where if the ambulance service is not called an EMS, it is called a "First Aid Squad". (To NJ members of EMT City: Is this traditional?)

As someone who started my EMS career in NJ, I've always belong to a Emergency "Squad" or First Aid "Squad". Tradition sounds about right....or inability of the Department of EMS to move forward.

Ah! Well, that almost makes me lose all interest I had in this story. But at the same time, it also thickens the plot. As firmly established as the "first aid squads" are in NJ, this kind of FD takeover cannot possibly be very common, can it?

Actually its the 2nd FD takeover in that county since the beginning of the year.