being from the area...
I cannot realistically see a merger between Clevelan EMS and Fire as detrimental to patient care. At least not any more detrimental than it is now.
While I am generally against merging fire and EMS, in this particular case, EMS did nothing to protect its interests over more than 2 decades, during the same time, fire department paramedics were operating under the same protocols, the same medical director, and transporting patients.
In the later half of the time period, both EMS and the FD sent their EMTs to the same college for medic. Additionally, no cleveland firefighter is required to be a medic, those who are chose to be. Some even paid for the schooling themelves. Many of the FD medics (close to 70%) work a second job at some of the regions best hospitals. EMS actually discourages and even terminates providers for working outside of their service.
The failure of Cleveland EMS rests soley on their administration. In the last 20years they have done nothing but fight to relive the "glory days" of the 70s. The field providers faught (often via union action) to even minimally increase services provided. The current leadership only under threat made any effort to save their service. Too little too late. I could probably write a book on it.
Because of these issues, EMS saw a massive brain drain and lost many highly skilled providers. The best ones that stuck it out do so only because of their proximity to retirement. New paramedic grads in the area wouldn't even consider EMS as a job. Can you even imagine trying to recruit experienced people with vintage protocols, a paramilitary probation where you have to stand at attention when people enter the room, and immediate mandatory overtime?
It is unfortunate that the providers will likely be treated poorly by the FD. But it may help considerably to reduce provider usage, though the volume is too high for the 24/48 the FD uses.
the FD is a skills based culture, where rapid transport and return to service is the measure of EMS, but in this case the 3rdservice is exactly the same.
In all fairness, in this case the FD can do at least equal and with the FD administration it is more likely the EMS component will advance than if it remains seperate.
I cannot realistically see a merger between Clevelan EMS and Fire as detrimental to patient care. At least not any more detrimental than it is now.
While I am generally against merging fire and EMS, in this particular case, EMS did nothing to protect its interests over more than 2 decades, during the same time, fire department paramedics were operating under the same protocols, the same medical director, and transporting patients.
In the later half of the time period, both EMS and the FD sent their EMTs to the same college for medic. Additionally, no cleveland firefighter is required to be a medic, those who are chose to be. Some even paid for the schooling themelves. Many of the FD medics (close to 70%) work a second job at some of the regions best hospitals. EMS actually discourages and even terminates providers for working outside of their service.
The failure of Cleveland EMS rests soley on their administration. In the last 20years they have done nothing but fight to relive the "glory days" of the 70s. The field providers faught (often via union action) to even minimally increase services provided. The current leadership only under threat made any effort to save their service. Too little too late. I could probably write a book on it.
Because of these issues, EMS saw a massive brain drain and lost many highly skilled providers. The best ones that stuck it out do so only because of their proximity to retirement. New paramedic grads in the area wouldn't even consider EMS as a job. Can you even imagine trying to recruit experienced people with vintage protocols, a paramilitary probation where you have to stand at attention when people enter the room, and immediate mandatory overtime?
It is unfortunate that the providers will likely be treated poorly by the FD. But it may help considerably to reduce provider usage, though the volume is too high for the 24/48 the FD uses.
the FD is a skills based culture, where rapid transport and return to service is the measure of EMS, but in this case the 3rdservice is exactly the same.
In all fairness, in this case the FD can do at least equal and with the FD administration it is more likely the EMS component will advance than if it remains seperate.
