Boston: Turf battle over 911 calls

[medicsb]

Turf battle over 911 calls - Bill would send jakes on jobs

Friday, September 6, 2013
By: Richard Weir

Boston firefighter union bosses — after getting shot down by the City Council last year on a bid to 
expand their duties — now are looking to Beacon Hill to override city policy and get sent on 911 calls for stabbings, shootings and overdoses, a role city watchdogs say is best left to Emergency Medical Services technicians.

“The EMS EMTs are the best trained to respond to those kinds of calls,” said Sam Tyler of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau. “I don’t think there is any need to change that at this point in time.”

State Rep. Nick Collins filed a bill on behalf of the city’s fire union this week to authorize new duties that he said could save lives. He said Boston’s 1,478 firefighters — 950 of whom have EMT certifications and already are authorized to respond to car crashes, cardiac arrests and other “Priority 1” 911 calls — are strategically located in city neighborhoods and respond to most calls in under four minutes, while the 
EMS average response time for “Priority 1” calls last year was 
5.7 minutes.

- See more at: http://bostonherald.com/news_opinio...rf_battle_over_911_calls#sthash.zsk2SUFE.dpuf

 

[Tigger]

I don't see much use for fire rolling on shootings or stabbings. Even if they beat BEMS to the scene, they aren't going to make patient contact until PD clears the scene, and in that time the ambulance will be there if they aren't already.

As for overdoses, I am not sure that BFD has transitioned to an actual BLS agency yet. Last I heard they still only operated at the MFR level. While EMTs can give Naloxone on standing orders in MA, I'm not sure that BFD does that yet. Yes many FFs are EMTs, but if they are limited to MFR than it doesn't matter.

 

[EpiEMS]

Is there really much use for fire on anything other than calls requiring extraction, heavy lifting, mass casualties, or (maybe) cardiac arrests? I'd rather have PD show up to shootings, stabbings, and cardiac arrests, they're already out patrolling as it is.

 

[Christopher]

Is there really much use for fire on anything other than calls requiring extraction, heavy lifting, mass casualties, or (maybe) cardiac arrests? I'd rather have PD show up to shootings, stabbings, and cardiac arrests, they're already out patrolling as it is.

They certainly help on cardiac arrests and STEMI's, but we're also a tight knit fire department which takes EMS seriously.

I just enjoy having extra hands.

Would they add anything beyond muscle to a shooting or stabbing? Probably not.

You'd be better serving the public outfitting police with hemostatic gauze, tourniquets, and chest seals.

 

[chaz90]

Is there really much use for fire on anything other than calls requiring extraction, heavy lifting, mass casualties, or (maybe) cardiac arrests? I'd rather have PD show up to shootings, stabbings, and cardiac arrests, they're already out patrolling as it is.

Now picture the fire engine plus fire command showing up 10 minutes after the BLS ambulance and ALS are on scene of a cardiac arrest. Also, all they have are CPR certs and your patient has a LUCAS on them.

 

[Summit]

Sounds like a certain FD is worried about funding vs call volume

 

[MrJones]

They certainly help on cardiac arrests and STEMI's, but we're also a tight knit fire department which takes EMS seriously.

I just enjoy having extra hands.

Would they add anything beyond muscle to a shooting or stabbing? Probably not.

You'd be better serving the public outfitting police with hemostatic gauze, tourniquets, and chest seals.

Jefferson County Kentucky had Police Officer Paramedics for a few years starting in 1975. The program was eventually phased out in favor of a dedicated-provider model, but I couldn't say what year that was.

 

[Meursault]

The Herald's a f:censored:ing joke. They're likely playing off a recent Globe article on FD overstaffing that didn't specifically mention Boston.
For historical reasons, Boston EMS is more closely associated with BPD. That said, BFD currently goes to a lot of MVCs and the occasional serious call; by and large, BEMS is used to working without "extra hands" and FDs outside of the city are already going to calls and, in some cases, dispatching EMS. The three-service separation is pretty strong in Boston, and a state law isn't going to change that.

Sounds like a certain FD is worried about funding vs call volume

Exactly. This is basically just a Hail Mary by Local 718 and/or a bit of pandering by the rep from Southie.

 

[Tigger]

Sounds like a certain FD is worried about funding vs call volume

I agree, but I think that such reasoning is rather poor for Boston. Boston is one of the few cities that with little doubt still needs a fire department staffed 4 guys on the engine and four on the truck. Building construction and density make it a near necessity.

I think that is a far stronger argument for funding than saying your MFR limited engines should be rolling to EMS calls.

 

[Meursault]

I agree, but I think that such reasoning is rather poor for Boston. Boston is one of the few cities that with little doubt still needs a fire department staffed 4 guys on the engine and four on the truck. Building construction and density make it a near necessity.

My thoughts exactly, especially after the day a couple months back where they struck 6 boxes and had another fire in the same district. Adjacent communities are also heavily dependent on Boston for mutual aid and training.

 

[CFal]

some of the comments on that site are retarded. complaining about a fire truck at a car accident blocking lanes and screwing up traffic.

#1 the accident itself is what screws up traffic
#2 the fire truck is suooposed to block off the scene