Warren considers reuniting fire department with EMS

A councilman questioned whether the emergency-service idea is a good one.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — City council has given a first reading to a resolution that would allow the city to purchase or lease equipment so the fire department could get back into the emergency medical service business.

Fire Chief Ken Nussle said it has been about 30 years since the department last provided EMS to the city.

In addition to acquiring all the equipment needed to provide the service, firefighters would need to be trained and additional personnel would need to be brought on board.

Eleven firefighters were laid off Jan. 1, and four other positions were left unfilled through attrition during 2008.

Councilman Bob Dean, D-at large, one of the sponsors of the legislation, said one reason for the proposal was to bring back laid-off firefighters, but he is not convinced that it makes sense to give the work to laid-off city employees at the expense of personnel working for a private ambulance company.

MedStar currently has a contract to be first responder to ambulance calls in the city, Dean said.

Nussle said it is possible the city could acquire a great deal of equipment, including a vehicle, at a small cost.

He said the department would run the service in such a way that it would not cost residents any money. Calls would be billed to insurance and Medicare only, Nussle said.

The service also would have to be self-sustaining, meaning its fees would have to pay for all of its operating expenses, Nussle said.

The fire department also would not replace MedStar but could operate at the same time, Nussle said.

It is feasible for the department to get back into the EMS business, Nussle said, adding that fire departments providing that service are working in numerous communities. He was unable to name any fire departments that have recently made the switch back into the EMS business.

Nussle said he doesn’t know how long it would take to get the service up and running.