YOUNGSTOWN — Fire Chief Barry Finley said the city “needs” the Youngstown Fire Department to offer emergency medical services because the ambulance company that serves the city is “short-staffed.”
Finley told city council’s safety committee recently that more than 50 of his 122 firefighters are emergency medical technicians (29) or paramedics (24) and are “always mission capable” to provide medical care to residents until the city’s ambulance company, American Medical Response, arrives.
Firefighters do that already — at whatever level they are trained — but they are limited by not having the necessary medical equipment, Finley said.
He is proposing that council provide the funds to hire five additional firefighters, one more assistant chief, one more fire inspector, one more shop mechanic and additional medical equipment.
The chief said he still is calculating the cost, including the amount needed to pay firefighters a “stipend” for medical duties.
The department nearly has enough trained EMTs and paramedics now to offer the service but needs the eight additional people to ensure that at least one medically trained firefighter is available on every fire truck, every shift.
UNION ISSUE
Councilwoman Anita Davis, D-6th Ward, questioned how the proposal can happen because the firefighters union won’t agree to it contractually.
Finley said union officials have said they do not feel having an EMS service “would be in their best interests” because the firefighters’ contract does not “recognize them as firefighters, EMTs and paramedics.” By that, he means that their contract does not identify them by the titles EMT and paramedic, only firefighter.
Charlie Smith, president of the firefighters union, responded to a request for comment by saying the union is “unable to comment further at this time” because of ongoing lititation, and “feels it best to let the legal system do its job, and we do not want to interfere with that.
“Unfortunately the city’s administration is not taking the same stance. They have announced inaccurate statements on the situation” during last week’s safety committee meeting, the statement states.
The city and union have challenged each other in various lawsuits in recent months.
Law Director Jeff Limbian said the idea of adding EMS and paramedic duties can be brought up in the current labor negotiations with the firefighters union, but the parties appear to be “miles apart” on the idea.
The chief continues to talk to the union “in hopes they will change their mind,” Finley said.
WHY NOW?
Fire departments across the country are increasingly providing emergency medical services because the number of fire calls has been steadily declining, Finley said. The reason is that fire codes “are more stringent as far as how buildings are made, designed,” he said.
After Councilman Julius Oliver, D-1st Ward, challenged Finley on whether the the idea was meant to keep firefighters employed instead of providing service, Finley said it is “because our community needs us.” He said the AMR ambulance company is “short-staffed” or “tied up at the hospital” because of the amount of time it takes to transport patients to the hospital with COVID-19.
Calls involving COVID-19 take more time than other calls because emergency rooms are backed up and the ambulance and ambulance workers have to be sterilized before going on another call.
Finley said the fire department has answered 762 calls for service since Jan. 1. Twenty four were for home fires, six for car fires. Eighty six people were taken to the hospital.
There were “86 residents who called for service but would have had a fire truck a whole lot faster” than an ambulance, Finley said. “The fire stations are strategically located.” He said fire personnel can be at a medical emergency in four to six minutes.
“Nothing against AMR because they are doing the best they can, but we want to be able to supplement what AMR is out there doing for us,” Finley said.
Providing emergency medical service would be a first step. “Down the road, in three years or so, I would like us to step over” and also transport patients to the hospital, Finley said.
“The largest part of the fire service, especially the full-time, career departments like mine, most of them provide some sort of emergency medical service,” Finley said.
WHO’S ON FIRST?
Oliver, who is running for mayor in the Democratic Party primary this year, said it appears members of the firefighters’ union are placing their needs ahead of those of residents. He said that may need to be addressed before deciding whether to add emergency medical services to the department.
“You have 122 firefighters,” Finley said. “Eighty percent of those firefighters are willing and ready to do whatever these citizens need us to do.” He said the city has an “outstanding fire department,” But “just like in any organization, you are going to have a certain group that is going to dominate.”
Finley said Boardman and Lorain are two examples of communities where firefighters provide emergency medical services but an ambulance company transports patients to the hospital. Lorain has about the same population as Youngstown.
Finley said part of the reason for hiring additional firefighters is to find more who are willing and able to work as an EMT or paramedic.
That prompted Oliver to state: “It sounds to me like you need a new crew of firefighters because you are not getting the cooperation from the firefighters you have to serve the needs of the community.”
Councilman Jimmy Hughes, D-2nd Ward, questioned whether a change like this should be made now when a new mayor could be elected this year and “might want to move in a different direction.”
Council member Samantha Turner, D-3rd Ward, said, “We should be looking at this, and no we should not be fearful of changes” that might occur in the mayor’s office.
erunyan@tribtoday.com
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