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