Firefighters Pushing for EMS Changes

Imagine you were mowing your lawn on a hot day and you collapsed from the heat. 

The way the current Pinellas County emergency response system is set up, someone would call 911 and a truck carrying local firefighter-paramedics would arrive at your house followed by an ambulance. The firefighter-paramedics would gather information from you about what happened and they would give you initial emergency treatment to get your medical condition stabilized. 

Firefighter-paramedics would then hand you off to an ambulance crew while telling them important information about your medical condition. The ambulance crew would also ask you about your condition and what happened to you, and then they would take you to the hospital.

Lt. Scott Sanford wants to change this. He wants firefighter-paramedics to provide initial treatment and also transport patients to the hospital. 

Sanford says having firefighter-paramedics do both jobs would cost less for taxpayers, get patients to the hospital faster, and alleviate stress for patients because they wouldn't have to repeat information about their emergency to firefighter-paramedics and ambulance crews.

"Once a paramedic gets on scene, he establishes rapport with a patient. The last thing you want to experience when you're going through a traumatic injury is that shuffle and start the process over. … You're answering the same questions," he said.

Sanford is teaming up with Lealman Fire District Capt. Jim Millican in the hope of convincing leaders in Pinellas County to back their plan. Millican says sending one firefighter-paramedic truck is a faster and more efficient way of responding to medical emergencies.

"We arrive at your house with a rescue truck capable of taking you to the hospital on a non-life-threatening emergency call that just requires two people to be there. We have to sit and wait for an ambulance to arrive in order to take you to the hospital, where we could put you in our truck and take you," Millican said.

The pair's plan has already won the approval of Palm Harbor Fire Rescue Chief James Angle, who says this is how many fire departments respond to medical emergencies.

"It's the right thing to do. It's the right thing for the community and our visitors. ... It's obviously proven throughout the state and across the country in New York, Philly, L.A. and Phoenix," Angle said.

Sanford and Millican have been giving presentations about their proposal to leaders of various Pinellas County communities with the end goal of eventually convincing county commissioners to adopt their plan. The pair say many Florida counties already practice firefighter-based medical transport (see accompanying map).

The plan has gained the attention of state Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, chairman of the Pinellas County legislative delegation. Latvala will hold a public hearing of Pinellas County officials, emergency management staff and the public to discuss EMS transport services in Pinellas County. 

“Our citizens deserve the best service that we can provide to them, especially in a traumatic situation," Latvala said in a news release. "When someone dials 911, they are already in a dire state. It is my hope that we can discuss these bills and determine the best course of action so that we can continue to provide our citizens with the top-notch EMS service they deserve.” 

The hearing is set for 2 to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Pinellas Park Performing Arts Center, 4951 78th Ave. N. in Pinellas Park.

But changing Pinellas County's emergency response system may not be easy. 

Pinellas County does not have a single fire department that takes care of the entire county. There are 18 individual fire districts that serve different-size communities with different needs, which complicates the issue tremendously. A recent example includes the inability of Pinellas County and the city of St. Petersburg to come to an agreement about the EMS system.

And then there's the money issue. Pinellas County commissioners and Pinellas County Administrator Bob LaSala are faced with the gargantuan task of trying to figure out how to fund emergency response for the county's citizens using fewer dollars.  

LaSala says property tax values are down in Pinellas County, which means there is less revenue coming in to the county, while costs are going up for fire departments and municipalities.

He says this situation will cause the current EMS program to run out of money in early 2013. Sanford and Millican think their plan is a solution to the dilemma.

The firefighters are facing a tight timeline to win approval from Pinellas County commissioners. Lasala says the deadline for the county to notify the current ambulance service provider whether or not it is going to extend its contract another three years is Jan. 1.

Pinellas County's administrator and the county commissioners also have deadlines looming when it comes to revamping the county's EMS budget. In early 2012, they need to give guidance to the county's 18 fire districts about the EMS budget, so the districts can prepare their individual budgets. LaSala says commissioners need to decide on the final EMS budget in July 2012, so they can then vote on additional budgets and millage rates. 

In the meantime, LaSala says he has a battle plan: "I'll continue to talk to the board of commissioners about reducing costs and solicit the cooperation of the 18 medical first responders to look at ways to reduce the cost of transport and administrative costs to help ease the pressure." 

What do you think should be done about Pinellas County's EMS system? Tell us in the comments section below.

Look at the PDFs in this article's photo section to:

• See a map showing what types of EMS responses are practiced in Florida
• Read the "Fire Based Medical Transport" proposal created by Palm Harbor Fire Rescue Lt. Scott Sanford and Lealman Fire District Capt. Jim Millican