EMS funding? "Criminal Street Gang Abatement Act"

[Guest alsfirefighter]

This is just another piece of evidence in my case against ourselves and EMS in reagards to public relations and funding. Sen. Chuck Schumer just announced, at Westchester County PD HQ no less a bipartisan co sponsered $463 million dollar bill to here more federal prosecutors and FBI agents.

So I still have to ask, where is any funding for the EMS Systems in this country? Why is there no "EMS response time abatement act" or "Heart Attack abatement Act". Sure the fact that they want to have more personnel to go after and prosecute gang related activities and stiffen penalties could have a ripple effect on EMS when it comes to armed and unarmed assaults, but more often they will be dealt with after a crime is solved. There aren't very many bedroom communities in Westchester whom have gang problems, or ones that are on a street crime level, but many, or most have terrible ambulance response times and/or mutual aid turnover. Or are covered by ALS agencies whom due to size and/or budget issues (for what ever reason) utilize "acceptable" equipment but not up to date, cutting edge stuff. Feel safe that there may be more FBI agents to investigate gangs, and prosecutors to put perpertrators on trial, but as a victim of a gang related crime, you may have to wait extended periods of time to be transported to an LZ or hospital.

[x635 4,066]

I absolutely agree.

I like that excellent article on FOOPs about how cable companies are required to respond in a certain amount of time in NJ but not EMS, and the other relevant issues in that article. It's a good companion read to this story for anybody who has not seen it

http://www.foops.org/modules.php?op=modloa...artid=15&page=1

I think that there needs to be an EMS grant, just like the FIRE act grants. Also, I'd like to see a COPS type grant, to pay for personel at places that need extra staffing, but cannot neccarily afford it.

EMS agencies need to get out there and do some public education campaigns and raise awareness to our politicians that this money is needed. One of the major hurdles in this is peoples egos, nobody wants to admit that they need help.

Also, a few years ago, when a municipality contracted with a company to provide fire services, there was an uproar. Complaints were vioced about dollar over lives, inferior training, inferior equipment, and non union non civil service labor. Yet many communities have no problem contracting for EMS service. That's another big part of the issue. Medical transportation needs to be clearly defined from EMS.

As long as problems keep getting hidden or "fixed with duct tape", nothing is going to ever get solved. Politicians, for the most part, are reactive, not proactive IMO. People need to put egos and pride aside, and admit they need help. ASAP.

EMS is not the same old scoop and run game it used to be. It's the 21st century, and it is a profession. EMS interventions, coupled with acceptable response times can flat out mean the difference between life and death. How many people are going to have to suffer before we realize that certain ways of doing things are obsolete?

What's everybody else's thoughts on this issue?

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Thanks for the compliment on that article Seth. Its nice to know someone read it, lol.