Newsweek type weeklong articles about fire and ems services- Volusia County Fl,

[JohnnyOV 2]

I should have started this on Sunday when the articles first started coming out, but the local county newspaper is issuing a week long string of articles about the fire services in Volusia County, FL. None of it is about tax money being spent inappropriately, rather, why pay for services that only get used 2.6% of the time and are duplicated on almost every call. This is a hot topic down there since there is very little income from commercial and residential taxes since Volusia is a very poor county.

A little back ground on Volusia's Emergency services.

In the County, there are 13 Fire departments, Each "major city" has one, and the Voluisa County Fire Services protects the unincorporated parts of the county (mostly farm land and open areas and roads as well as the Daytona Beach International Airport which is county owned and operated). Each fire department, except for 1 (Deland Fire and Rescue) provides ALS service in addition to EVAC Ambulance Service on every medical call in the county. (Edit 2 - All Agencys are fully career, with VCFS being combo. VCFS normally staffs 2 FF an engine some 3 in high call volume areas)

EVAC Ambulance is not a VAC, rather the sole provider of Ambulance Service, interfacility transport and emergency response in the county. They are a private company who is contracted through the county to provide the service. Right now, fire departments are trying to have this removed, and begin transporting patients themselves (edit: http://firetransport.com/ that is Daytona Beach FD's website promoting FD based transport).

Sunday's Articles:

Officials look for savings, but change could bring risks

http://www.news-jour...ring-risks.html

Would 1 fire department save money, keep us safe?

http://www.news-jour...ep-us-safe.html

Monday's Articles:

Hospital ride drives all the arguments

http://www.news-jour...-arguments.html

EVAC: 'Efficiency is dollars'

http://www.news-jour...is-dollars.html

Fire: Efficiency is versatility

http://www.news-jour...ersatility.html

Tuesday's Article:

No easy solutions with lives at stake

http://www.news-jour...s-at-stake.html

Today's (Wednesday) Article:

Is there balance between cost, safety?

http://www.news-jour...ost-safety.html

Edited April 28, 2010 by EMSJunkie712

[gamewell45 258]

Interesting series of articles. Obviously Volusia County face's a number of tough decisions which will have to be made sooner then later.