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