Why is it that when the media decides to investigate fire department response times to fires, the answer always seems to be “More fire trucks are needed?”, however when they investigate EMS response times to calls, the answer always seems to be “The ambulance drivers are too slow or maybe lazy?”.
Or is it just me?
Update: Just for the record, I dashed this out before I knew about the Pittsburgh incident. About which I’ll have a post later on.
I just quit reading when I see either one… sigh…
Sorry, I think it may be you. Hope this helps.
Well, for one, we don't have the vast PR resources that the fire service has- NFPA, IAFC, IAFF, cool helmets, Dalmatians, and big shiny trucks.I don't hear the 'lazy ambulance drivers' stuff, but it seems that EMS management always comes up with some scheme to 'make more efficient use of resources'.But think of this. If you call the fire department for a grease fire, 2-4 fire trucks show up, each costing hundreds of thousands of dollars, along with a crew of firefighters (wearing those cool hats), they put out the fire, and in some places, clean up the mess. All for free (never mind the tax support).But if you call an ambulance because your chest is hurting, the fire truck shows up (worth a couple of hundred thousand dollars), along with a crew of firefighters in cool hats, and they do stuff, and then the ambulance drivers show up to give you a ride.And then we have the nerve to send them a bill.No wonder they like the fire department better.
Which is usually followed with a report about how ambulance drivers are racing mindlessly to calls, getting into crashes and killing people.
Don't you mean, the answer to longer EMS response times should be more fire trucks?At least, that's the way it seems 'round here.
The answer is to have EMS taken over by the FD. Or to have EMS use SSM (System Status Management), but nobody ever suggests that SSM be used for fire trucks. If there is a big incident, or several incidents, some trucks will be moved temporarily, but that is not SSM.Or use helicopters!
SSM doesn't work for EMS, but you know that. It's a way to work your employees harder, burning them out in the process. Of course the continuous supply of new EMTs and medics means there will be no immediate consequences. The fire service is heavily unionized and as a result SSM is less likely to be used.