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Commissioner Wheeler did not agree. If you had the fire <br />department and the paramedics in one division and the ambulance <br />squad in another working together, then you are down to two <br />different agencies, and he believed you could make a working <br />agreement and the Fire Board would have some control over the <br />fire department and attitudes and the willingness to cooperate <br />and work together rather than three different agencies fighting <br />all the time. He stated that his opinion is and has been right <br />along that the ALS should have been with the fire department to <br />begin with. <br />Commissioner Eggert agreed and felt if the fire departments <br />had been alt in one district, that is where it would have ended <br />up. As to the present situation, the ambulance squad's reasoning <br />re the fire department EMTs is that those paid EMTs are going to <br />do what their volunteer EMTs do. <br />Chairman Scurlock noted that the ambulance people do not <br />want to be simply transport people, and if you go to paid EMTs, <br />than all the ambulance squads are going to be involved in is <br />driving and picking up and it is doubtful if they could keep <br />their membership up. If we lose the volunteers and the squad <br />faits, then you are talking paid services. The Chairman noted <br />this is a very difficult situation to work with, and he felt <br />Commissioner Eggert has done a good job working with all these <br />entities. <br />MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Eggert, SECONDED by <br />Commissioner Bird, to support the suggestion that 12 <br />paramedics be hired as the best solution under the <br />circumstances at this time. <br />Commissioner Bird asked if we are hiring paramedics rather <br />than EMTs just to pacify the ambulance squad, and Commissioner <br />Eggert and Chairman Scurlock confirmed that we are, explaining <br />that if we don't get the additional paramedics, we will not be <br />37 <br />LIV:AY 5 '1987 <br />BOOK 68 <br />ra,GE. 24 7 <br />