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MAY 5 1987 <br />BOOK 68 Fa, 246 <br />Commissioner Eggert advised that it was suggested that she <br />ask if the Commission wished to take a stand of supporting the <br />choice of the ambulance squad, the hospital, the parameds, etc., <br />re the addition of 12 paramedics. <br />Commissioner Bird stated that based on what he has heard, he <br />would, but he did not know if there is another side to the story. <br />Commissioner Eggert confirmed that they have investigated <br />everything. They must get either EMTs or paramedics, and they <br />have got to have them there together. The ambulance squad has <br />had to send out some of its ambulances without EMTs to meet the <br />paramedics. <br />Chairman Scurlock believed a better solution would have been <br />to hire EMTs because you would pay Tess; however, then we face a <br />problem with our ambulance squads. <br />Commissioner Wheeler was not happy about the situation. He <br />believed the figure for adding the paramedics is $293,000; right <br />now on every call we send out an ambulance, two paramedics in a <br />station wagon, and a fire truck, and he did not feel we can <br />afford this. He noted the paramedics would be able to work with <br />the ALS if they were part of the fire department. <br />Commissioner Eggert pointed out that the problem with that <br />is that we still have two different fire districts. She agreed <br />the multiple response problem must be solved, and it is one of <br />the criticisms that HRS had. <br />Chairman Scurlock noted that even though right now we may be <br />sending out multiple vehicles, we are not meeting the certifi- <br />cation requirements because they are not qualified people. <br />Discussion continued at length re the problems involved, and <br />the need for transport as well as medical services, and Chairman <br />Scurlock noted that if you put all this in the fire department, <br />you will be eliminating the volunteer transport, and then you are <br />talking $2,000,000 a year to get in the transport business <br />instead of $293,000. <br />36 <br />