Girard firefighters analyze impact of cuts in services

Girard firefighters analyzeimpact of cuts in services
EDITOR:
We are writing this letter to explain to the citizens of Girard the negative impact the layoffs at the Girard Fire Department have on our ability to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of our community. The layoffs occurred at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 29. This not only caused a complete loss of the city-owned and operated ambulance service, but also severely compromised, if not crippled, the Girard Fire Department's ability to fight residential and commercial structure fires.
The Girard Fire Department's total firefighting and emergency medical services staffing at the beginning of 2003 was made up of 15 full-time and eight part-time firefighters. Because we became so efficient with limited staffing and never increased our manpower, the 50 percent reduction in total manpower (25 percent reduction in full-time staffing), had a more disastrous impact than these figures showed.
The administration states that it has been in negotiations with private ambulance companies to take over the city ambulance service run by the Girard Fire Department. This is true. All three private ambulance companies met with the fire chief and the safety service director and stated emphatically that they could not possibly match the service provided by the Girard Fire Department, whether it be in response time or immediate three-paramedic response and care.
The administration has also failed to inform the citizens of the extra out of pocket charges they will pay with the private ambulance services. Users of a private ambulance service must pay any charges above what their Medicare or personal health insurance provides. This was not the case with the fire department operated ambulance service.
Another exaggeration is the savings the city's general fund will realize by eliminating two full-time and all part-time firefighters. Since 1996, through third party billing and accepting only insurance payments, the city-run ambulance shows revenue brought into the city of just over $1.5 million. A three-year average beginning in 2001 to the present shows revenue brought in $215,000. The administration fails to factor in this average when stating that by eliminating the ambulance service the city will save $330,000 per year. The more realistic savings is $115,000 per year. In our opinion this savings could be realized with less drastic steps than eliminating the advanced life support emergency service.
It is our hope, as a department, that the direct impact on our community with layoffs, the termination of the city-owned ambulance service, and the general disabling of our firefighting force will be addressed by the administration to the good people of our community. The Girard Fire Department promises, as always, to do our best for the people we serve. Unfortunately, that will not be good enough.
PHILIP A. CRETELLA Jr. and 13 other members of the Girard Fire Department
Girard
Bad idea: driving and talking on cell phones
EDITOR:
I am writing about these people who talk on their cell phone while driving cars, which is very dangerous. They don't have any sense, or they wouldn't be doing this.
They would rather cause an accident than put the phones down.
I wish our state officials would do something about this before innocent people are killed. These people who talk on these phones should be fined.
LOUISE SUMMERS
Hubbard