THIS IS NOT SATIRE
Now we don't post much anymore, but there is a real issue that the city council is sitting on that will affect all of the pope county, not just the city residence. We have compiled some questions we would like the city to answer.
Three (3) of the four (4) fire station the city has are not equipped with female quarters, meaning females can not work in those stations. How do you plan to revamp the fire stations to accommodate potential female Paramedics and EMT's? Or are you going to abandon equal oppertunity employment?
You as a city will need to keep all four stations staffed 24/7 with a Paramedic and EMT, dedicated to responding to medical calls. Let's be honest, if someone is having a heart attack and all your teams are at a fire on the other side of town, your response time will drop and death is imminent. So the question is, are you prepared to hire the following... * Centeral Fire Station (1) | (1 Paramedic + 1 EMT) x 3 Shifts = 6 Employees * Skyline Fire Station (2) | (1 Paramedic + 1 EMT) x 3 Shifts = 6 Employees * N Arkansas Fire Station (3) | (1 Paramedic + 1 EMT) x 3 Shifts = 6 Employees * 16th Street Fire Station (4) | (1 Paramedic + 1 EMT) x 3 Shifts = 6 Employees TOTAL OF 24 EMPLOYEES AT THE LEAST
Let's say you don't plan to hire the above, if Stations 1, 2, and 3 are responding to a house fire together (Currently, the Paramedics and EMTs are on Engines 1, 2, 3, and 4), that will leave you with 1 medical team at Station 4 for the whole city. If this happened under the rules of PCEMS, they would call a crew from Dover or Atkins to cover the city. Who will come into cover? PCEMS will have their own calls outside of the city with fewer resources than they have now. We can't expect PCEMS to cover the city, but we know they would try their hardest because they are dedicated to their jobs.
You have committed to ordering 4 new ambulances, have you also figured in all the medical equipment, sirens, lights, radios, and the possibility of a breakdown, as Judge Cross pointed out to you? I won't be riding on the top of your engines hose bed to get to a hospital.
Have you put in any thought as to how this will impact the surrounding area? As Judge Cross pointed out, the county ems service will have to downsize, bringing on the issue of reducing the manpower for the whole county. You operate in approximately 28 square miles, the county has 830. Are you willing to jump in and assist PCEMS when someone in Dover, Atkins, London, Pottsville, or even Pelsor is in need of medical assistance? Or are they just expected to watch the bright light and hope that no one anywhere else needs assistance?
And let's jump back to that 28 square mile fact above... Little Rock has 122 square miles. North Little Rock has 55 square miles. Conway has 46 square miles. NONE OF THES LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS HAVE A FIRE DEPT EMS SERVICE. Granted, they have MEMS, but we don't see them jumping at the bits to operate an ems service.
Jumping back to the manpower issues from question 4, how do you expect PCEMS to assist when you are overrun with calls and they are as well? Do you expect Yell County to offer up one of their two ambulances for their whole county? With only 4 ambulances, you cant call in an extra crew, because they won't have a vehicle to operate in.
Have you given any thought to how this will send pope county back in time? What if adopting this ordinance causes the county to have to require a tax for its EMS? We haven't had to pay a tax since 2010, and you must be funny if you think the city residents will be willing to pay extra (This will happen because we are certain you haven't looked at all the numbers... REMEMBER THAT FANCY POOL?) for a service that is already free.
Will you be responding to ANO medical emergencies since the fire department has a contract with them? Are you going to respond and leave your city with fewer resources?
Are the loss of jobs and a dismantling of the good system, that we have in place now, worth it for you to say that you have ambulances with "The City of Russellville" slapped on the side of it? It's not a necessity, we are not in a crisis as Yell County was years ago. So why? Response times are superb right now and you are willing to put the citizen's lives on the line for a shiny new red ambulance? You haven't even worked with the county to figure out if this is a good idea! You started a study 15 MONTHS AGO and the county found out about it 1 MONTH AGO. And you have the gaw to ask the county about their statistics? 40 years of working to make a free medical service for the residence of this county and you are willing to throw that away? It took them 40 years and you think it won't take you the same amount of time or more?
WE HERE AT NUCLEAR NATION NEWS SAY NO TO RFD GETTING A EMS SERVICE. DONT FIX WHAT IS NOT BROKEN, RUSSELLVILLE.
If you plan to answer any of these questions, please refrain from dancing around them as some did at the city council meeting.
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