How Firefighters Fan The Flames of Fear

[Arctickat]

And discuss....

[ERDoc]

Where are these places in the US where firetrucks are being replaced with a paramedic with an SUV?

[ClutzyEMT]

I've never understood why the big red truck with the ladders goes screaming out in the city when someone falls....but I'm sure it has something to do with "power in unionization".....

[paramedicmike]

Interesting that the author used stats from the US to justify her argument. Are such stats not available for Canada?

Either way, this has been going on for years. The IAFF has it down to a science. So far, at least, it seems to be working. And when fear mongering doesn't work then lawsuits against the municipalities do because it costs more in legal fees than it does to keep the overstaffed FD at current levels.

[ClutzyEMT]

http://www.emtcity.com/page/articles.html/_/articles/weld-commissioners-approve-ambulance-code-change-r76

Another example of the Fire Unions winning battles that they shouldn't...in my opinion....

[DFIB]

Where are these places in the US where firetrucks are being replaced with a paramedic with an SUV?

Shreveport, Louisiana has something like this. It is called SPRINT is an acronym for Single Paramedic Rapid Intervention Non-Transport

[ERDoc]

Shreveport, Louisiana has something like this. It is called SPRINT is an acronym for Single Paramedic Rapid Intervention Non-Transport

It's cool, but did they cut back on fire personnel or apparatus to run this?

[Just Plain Ruff]

It's cool, but did they cut back on fire personnel or apparatus to run this?

my bet is that they have a driver and a medic in that sprint car. What better vehicle to justify two peoples jobs.

I remember when a couple of years ago the battalian chiefs in KC MO were threatened with having to lose thier drivers. The thought process was that they coudl drive their own vehicles and it would help free up a fire fighter to staff a short staffed station. The chiefs freaked out and complained and kept their drivers.

So I'll bet that the medic also get's a driver.

There is a sprint car system in Johnson County KS that I believe still operates where in underserved areas of the county where an ambulance and fire truck might be a fair distance away the sprint car medic will respond as well usually beating all by 3-7 minutes. It worked really well when I worked there and it was a position that many wanted to get assigned to. They actually had their own stations, based out in the middle of no-where but with all the comforts of home. It was a pretty good deal for the citizens and the employee.