Friday, June 25, 2004
Firefighters are seeking public support.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Salem firefighters will respond to direct calls for medical help despite the city's instruction not to, a union official said.
"As soon we're off the phone, we're gone," Michael Burns, the president of Salem Firefighters Local 283 said Friday.
So far, firefighters have responded to one call.
Burns said firefighters have responded to medical calls for the 13 years he's been with the department. But that was changed earlier this year as one of several moves by city officials that Burns thinks may jeopardize public safety.
City council has voted to discuss forming a joint fire district with Perry Township, a move that could save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The first meeting will be July 6, and firefighters have been distributing fliers asking people to attend the council meeting later that day to show support for the fire department.
Burns said that so far, city officials haven't given the fire department any explanation about its plans.
At a meeting last week with city officials, Burns said, "We couldn't get word one from them."
The future of the fire department and medical calls are separate yet interconnected issues, Burns said.
Council resolution
In March, council passed a resolution saying the fire department would not be the first responders to medical calls. Now, police or ambulance crews must arrive at the scene before they request help from the fire department.
The city is served by two ambulance companies. Some firefighters have medical training, Burns said.
People are supposed to call the police department for medical calls, which in turn calls one of the ambulance companies on a rotating basis, he said.
The fire department is supposed to relay any medical calls it gets to police. Burns said it will do that, but it will also respond as a moral obligation since its job is to protect the community.
Burns questioned whether the fire department's delayed response may have contributed to the death of a woman. He said the fire department was called out under the new system and helped revive a woman who was having a heart attack. She died several hours later. He would not give the woman's name or the date of the call.
City officials did not return a call seeking comment.
wilkinson@vindy.com