Local News
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Firefighters try to douse layoff flamesSTAFF WRITER
As the city tries to balance its budget, the city may need to lay off more safety service personnel if the funds aren’t there, according to city officials.
But at Tuesday’s city council meeting, Lt. Warren Digby of the Fostoria Fire and EMS Department said more layoffs in the fire department could hurt the department’s ability to provide paramedic service.
If the city lays off one more firefighter, three paramedics would be left to provide advanced life support to residents, according to Jason Root, vice president of the firefighter’s union. Since 2001, Fostoria firefighters have been cross trained to provide EMS service, replacing a private EMS service.
The department has four firefighters trained as paramedics, which means they are able to provide advanced support, down from eight paramedics two years ago due to layoffs, Root said after the meeting.
Other firefighters are only trained to offer basic life support and cannot provide the advanced services, which Root said could make a difference in saving someone’s life.
Only paramedics can administer medicine, such as for diabetes or heart conditions or breathing problems. Paramedics can also perform an EKG at a home and transmit the information to the hospital before the patient arrives.
Firefighters trained in basic life support can treat wounds, administer oxygen, take vital signs and prepare the patient for transport to the hospital.
Interim Fire Chief Brian Anderson told council the department now has fewer personnel due to layoffs than before the department started providing EMS service. EMS runs account for 73 percent of the fire department’s run volume.
Further layoffs would affect paramedics because layoffs are determined by date of hire, Root said.
Mayor John Davoli and Dennis Fligor, director of Public Service and Safety, said after the meeting that keeping personnel is a matter of funding. If the funds aren’t there, the city will have to make layoffs, Fligor said.
The city’s budget numbers for February were terrible, and the city is preparing for the worst-case scenario, Davoli said. However, the city is considering various options and won’t make decisions on layoffs until after the city knows the budget numbers for the first quarter, which would be early April.
“We still have to provide the best possible service and the safest possible service, but with the funds we have available,” Davoli said.
So far, the fire department has still been able to provide ALS service at all times, Anderson said. Two paramedics work on one shift, and the other two shifts are covered by a single paramedic.
However, Root said when one paramedic takes time off, that leaves the other three to cover the shifts. One paramedic recently worked for 72 hours straight for that reason, but that was the only recent extended overtime.
If the department cannot continue to provide ALS service on all shifts, then only the basic life support could be provided, Root said.
In such a scenario, the city would not only lose the level of service it could provide to residents, it would also lose income, Digby said. The department charges more for ALS service than basic life support service because of the extra training required for paramedics.
The city is gaining $206,457.16 from the department’s net revenue, Anderson said. Before the city chose to offer EMS service through the fire department, the city paid a $300,000 subsidy to a private ambulance company.
“You lose a paramedic, and your (city) revenue goes down,” Digby said.
In other business, council:
“¢ Gave first reading to ordinances that would update the city’s building and zoning codes. A public hearing will be held for the changes April 20 at 7 p.m. in council chambers.
“¢ Passed an ordinance amending the code in relation to the volunteer Emergency Corps, stating they may receive city property or be reimbursed for services.
“¢ Passed ordinances authorizing the Director of Public Service and Safety to advertise bids to purchase gasoline and diesel fuel for city vehicles as well as to enter into contract to purchase two new police vehicles.
“¢ Passed an ordinance for the permanent appropriations for the city’s current expenditures.
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Ph: (419) 435-6641 • Fax: (419) 435-9073
113 E. Center St. • P.O. Box 947
Fostoria, OH 44830
The Findlay Publishing Company
P.O. Box 609
Findlay, OH 45839-0609
Phone: (419) 422-5151
www.findlaypublishing.com
Please read our privacy guidelines
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