fine for not calling 911

[worlandemt]

Apr. 28--In Millcreek Township, call 9-1-1 for emergency services or you could be fined.

The supervisors put teeth into the township's support of the 9-1-1 system by adopting an ordinance Tuesday night that requires businesses and residents to call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

The ordinance will take effect five business days after its passage, said Supervisor Joseph Kujawa.

The county's 9-1-1 center dispatches Millcreek Paramedic Service and the closest Millcreek volunteer fire department when somebody in Millcreek dials the emergency number. MPS is the township-designated ambulance provider.

But for years, MPS' competitor, EmergyCare, has advertised an 870-1000 phone number for Millcreek residents who want that ambulance service for emergency or nonemergency calls. The use of that number for emergencies has been a point of contention between Millcreek officials and EmergyCare.

But the Millcreek ordinance would require residents and businesses -- regardless of whether they have memberships with EmergyCare -- to call 9-1-1 for emergencies in the township. And EmergyCare would be required to forward any Millcreek calls from the 870-1000 number to 9-1-1.

The ordinance was unanimously adopted by Kujawa and fellow supervisors Brian McGrath and Richard Figaski as about 75 Millcreek firefighters and emergency medical technicians applauded.

Residents could be fined, though that is not the intent of the ordinance, Figaski said. More likely, violations would lead to fines against Millcreek businesses, including nursing homes, and against EmergyCare, if it does not forward emergency calls to 9-1-1, he said.

Fines for various violations would range from $250 to $1,000.

The Millcreek fire inspector's office will be in charge of monitoring calls and enforcing the ordinance, Kujawa said.

Bill Hagerty, executive director of EmergyCare, told the supervisors that any ordinance that prevents Millcreek residents from calling the seven-digit number would violate the First Amendment and Pennsylvania's Emergency Medical Services law.

Hagerty said it also would interfere with EmergyCare's existing membership contracts with more 4,000 Millcreek residents.

Afterward, Hagerty said he would contact EmergyCare's attorney today and see what action it might take.

Brandon Kramer, MPS executive director, said the issue is about public safety. "When you call 9-1-1, we want to get you help. That's our bottom line," he said.

Kramer said EmergyCare could still handle emergencies in Millcreek through mutual-aid agreements.

Kujawa said the ordinance is not in response to County Executive Barry Grossman's plan to change the way ambulances are dispatched to emergencies from the 9-1-1 center.

Kujawa said the Millcreek proposal has been in the works for six or seven months.

Grossman's plan, in part, would allow residents to request a specific ambulance service when they call 9-1-1, and require 9-1-1 operators to meet that request.

<BR itxtvisited="1"><P itxtvisited="1">

• RSS Feeds for EMSResponder.com: Top EMS News Section

<BR style=CLEAR: both" itxtvisited="1"> function checkit(form) { var Msg = ''; var ShowMsg = 0; if (form.Comment.value =='') { ShowMsg = 1; Msg = Msg + "You must enter a Comment. \n"; } if (form.Name.value =='') { ShowMsg = 1; Msg = Msg + "You must enter your Name. \n"; } if (ShowMsg == 1) { alert(Msg); return false; } else { return true; } } function replyto(postid,subject) { document.form.ReplyID.value = postid; document.form.Subject.value = 'Re: '+subject; }<BR itxtvisited="1">

Share your thoughts, advice, opinions, and expertise @ EMSResponder.com

<BR itxtvisited="1">

Submit a comment

<BR itxtvisited=1">Comments<BR itxtvisited="1"><BR itxtvisited="1"></FONT itxtvisited="1">Posted by Asclepius in Midwest, US (04/28/10 - 12:39 PM) <BR itxtvisited="1"><BR itxtvisited="1">Posted by concerned EMS in Alabama (04/28/10 - 02:28 PM)

[Chief1C]

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=nflDcYJkHuQ

[spenac]

Definitely sounds like the city is wanting some money. Sounds like the private service has really promoted themselves well in order to get that many contracts and the city sees that money is escaping them.

[Chief1C]

No... When you call 9-1-1, you should get the nearest available unit. If you don't want municipal, call private on seven digit land line. Maybe it should say something to the municipal. Everyone would rather call this other place, than yours. Perhaps you're doing something wrong?

[spenac]

No... When you call 9-1-1, you should get the nearest available unit. If you don't want municipal, call private on seven digit land line. Maybe it should say something to the municipal. Everyone would rather call this other place, than yours. Perhaps you're doing something wrong?

But they can't call anyone but 911 or they get fined more than the ambulance run costs.

I agree though that they should be saying what are they doing that we are not? What can we do to improve?

[worlandemt]

Ya I agree with you guys that it sounds like a bunch of crap to me. This is actually going to be something that they are looking at in PA for those of you that were asking me where this is at. So just thought that I would let everyone know.

[Chief1C]

I'm a fireman in town, but I would die before I would call upon our EMS. I will do everything in my power, to get across the tracks, per se, into another coverage. Same with the municipal service down the highway. I joke, if I wreck in their coverage, the first place I'm gonna call is a wrecker service. So I can be towed into someone else's coverage area to be extricated. There are just some folks that you know are too incompetent, wreckless or ignorant to take care of you or a family member. I'd take the fine, fight it in court, then file a law suit; before I'd let someone tell me who was going to care for me.

But if I call 9-1-1, which I wouldn't do for myself, but that's not a variety number. You get what you're supposed to get, that's how it works.