Mr Newman,
As Public Safety Director for the City of Indianapolis, we, The Emergency Medical Responders of Marion County, are addressing this open letter to you. We have waited patiently while you have put forth on behalf of the Mayor, certain initiatives meant to correct the manpower and moral issues in IMPD that went unaddressed for so long. We stood by silently while Mayor Ballard talked openly about the consolidation of all township fire departments into IFD. Yet, to date, no one from city or county government has addressed the end goal regarding the future of Emergency Medical Services in Marion County.
While we know and have come to accept our place in arena of emergency response, admitting that EMS is not as flashy as burning buildings or live car chases, we feel that our role is just as, if not more, important than those we serve beside. After all, it is the fireman who rescues the family from the burning building, but it is EMS who fights to keep them alive from there.
Currently there is a “mixmash” of services and response areas in Indianapolis, with ambulances being provided by several township fire departments, IFD, Wishard Hospital and Rural Metro. The response areas are cut up, borders are far from consistent, and the needs of the public fall to wayside in favor of turf and old boundaries.
Just as the providers are a diverse group, the pay and benefits fall along a wide spectrum as well. With some services working 24 hr shifts, some working 12 hr shifts. The pay range among civilian vs. fire dept is very noticeable. Job requirements from organization to organization vary greatly. There is no consistency in insurance benefits, time off, seniority, representation (or lack of), or chain of command.
If the inconsistency in pay, benefits, shifts, schedules, and response areas were not enough, there is a wide disparity in equipment from provider to provider. While every fire dept. in Marion County currently has 12 lead capability on their EKG monitors, Wishard Hospital Ambulance Service is still looking for grant monies to pay for this. Also, since the recent fire at 4040 N. Rural, Wishard has been struggling to keep enough running trucks on the road to provide service.
Rumors as to our future run rampant, change often, and run the gambit of possibilities. The disparity in equipment, response area, pay, benefits, and hierarchy create chasms in our ranks. Morale in EMS in Marion County is at an all time low. The current system has pitted provider against provider, fire department against EMS, EMT’s and Paramedics against their own management. A decision must be made. Where is our future going to take us? What are the plans of this administration for EMS? Will we all fall under the reign of the consolidated county fire department? Will there be a 3rd service provider? This is our livelihood, or job, our passion if you will. We deserve to know in what direction we are headed. Mr. Newman, Mayor Ballard, enlighten us. Let us in on the discussion. Give us the opportunity for our voices to be heard.
Respectfully,
EMSindy
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13 comments:
The current state of Wishard EMS shows that they have ZERO business running things county-wide. That is unless you want a revolving door of employees who get treated like crap by poor supervision. Don't forget the less than stellar equipment they are given to do their jobs with, the low pay, crappy benefits, and overall poor work environment. As a former Wishard Medic who cares greatly about the future of EMS in this county, I speak for many of us veteran, dedicated professionals in saying that as long as Chuck Ford gets any say in my job, there's not a snowballs chance in hell I'll ever put on a Wishard uniform again.
Third service. Ran by Health and Hospital....under the IU school of Emergency Medicine.
Maybe you should let a fireman proof read your letter, before you send it and make yourselves look stupid.
Letter has an "R" at the end.
Morale has an "E" at the end.
Ever consider that we may not hire you back anyway?
I for one, am glad you don't work for Wishard anymore. Glad you are someone else's problem child.
Problem child huh? Because I would no longer work for a service that makes it very clear that every one of its employees is expendable and easily replaced. A service that allows supervisors to treat employees however they choose, regardless of policy. A service that we I first started there was THE place to work in EMS. A service that allows hospital administrators who have no idea about EMS to set policies. A service that Chuck Ford has screwed up so bad it will take years to fix. It has nothing to do with being a so-called "problem child' or getting hired back. I've watched many of my close friends suffer in a system that is long removed from what it used to be. But if you think Chuck Ford can run a county-wide ambulance service, let me know. I'll buy front row tickets for everyone I know so they can have a great view of that train wreck.
Please stop bashing each other and the firefighters, our jobs are hard enough.
If the decision to create a county wide ambulance service is made we don't know who will be in charge. If done properly as was done in Louisville, Charlotte etc the ems service would be a properly functioning entity. There are some of us who wear both hats and do believe that an ems service provided by ems providers not a fire department or politicians would serve us the employees and community better.
And remember those that are bashing the hospital based ambulance service, you got your present job because you worked there first.
David
What does every other organized group of laborers do when they want change? Strike. Show the upper powers what would happen if they don't compensate their much needed employees properly. Protest. Bitching on this board is doing no one good. Do something about it.
I can bash the hospital-based system as I see fit. That's because it is absolutely so far removed from what it was and what it should be, the only thing that makes it hospital-based is the name on the side of the truck. There is absolutely no reason, other than poor management, that Wishard should be the way it is today. With the I.U. School of Medicine and the new Pre-Hospital Residency Program, Wishard should be a leader in new and progressive EMS. Instead, it sits stagnant with no direction whatsoever. Wishard treats people like crap and they know it. They(the admin) know that there will never be a "strike" or any other work stoppage. Now IFD on the other hand has chosen to allow its employees to obtain union representation and as of last week, a just and fair labor agreement covering the EMS division went to the city for review. As a physician, it is easy to see who is getting the better deal here.
Anon 1:02
Why don't you try and help improve the sitation rather then cause more. The "union" representation you are referring to was because the Warren people were already in the union. Also let me remind you it is the International Association of Firefighters, not International Associations of Paramedics or Teamsters etc. They have their agenda and responsiblities to us first. And it is the city that has allowed the "representation" not IFD. After the "review" by the lawyers that represent the city please come back and give us an update.
Thanks
Mr. Ford...I hope you are reading these posts. Your time is up. Everyone knows what a big idiot you are. You had some big shoes to fill after Dillman, and you failed so badly, that you desecrated an upstanding ambulance service...Good work !! Good work !! You might want to start applying elsewhere, and please don't even make it any place in the state of Indiana. Sincerely, a happily employed ex - wiz medic
I am just throwing this out there... no 12 leads at the WIZ, how freaking pathetic, our ambulances run like shit, our maintence guys ( all 3 of them) are understaff overworked and do there best just to "fix" the trucks we have to get them back on the streets again.. its a sad state of affairs, however i couldn't imagin working anywhere else...a lot of us have a lot pride being wiz medics... that statement might be the saddest of all
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