Should the Town enter into a contract for ambulance service?

[dtwarren]

From: http://www.westseneca.net/index.php?q=node/544

1. Councilman Clarke re Request for proposals for ambulance contract

[gorja]

Who provides ambulance service now? The volleys?

[Psycho1]

As I understand, four of the six fire companies have the ability to provide this service. In many cases, and through experience, Rural Metro provides many of the transports here. That's not to say the vols don't provide ambualnce service, it may just be a matter of who is available at any given time.

The more important part of the question is, why is this being proposed now? WS has not contracted for this service in the past, and RM still responds when called. In speaking with some of the members of the WSFD that I know, the majority of the fire districts are opposed to a contract of this nature. Also, John Rusinski who was just elected to the Town Board, works for RM in a management position. Grated, he has yet to be seated, but he is close friends with Dale Clark, who is a lame duck member. After January 1st, Mr. Rusinski would be unable to vote on this issue, let alone bring it before the TB, as it could be seen as a conflict of interest. So everything about Mr. Clarke's proposal seems ill conceived to me.

I believe a contract of this nature would also be an additional expense to the Town, which is not contained in the current budget. Something of this nature should be openly discussed before any action is taken. And, while Mr. Clarke is simply calling for a request for proposals, his timing seems to be a bit strange.

If anyone knows why this is happening now, please inform the rest of us. Because on the surface it appears political.

[dtwarren]

Having the ability to provide a service is a different question than are they adequately providing the service currently. If this service is not available at certain times then it is the same as not being provided. It appears the VFDs have to decide if providing this is something they will do or not. Because if not then we should phase out the vehicles used for this service that they do own and operate for this.

Your second point does raise some concerns I had over Mr. Rusinski: http://www.speakupwny.com/forums/sho...l=1#post743969

With that being said I agree with your third point. Why are we exploring this when it was not considered as part of the budget process and the current budget does not account (at least explicitly) for this and a new administration takes office Jan. 1?

[Psycho1]

I can't answer on the Town's ability to provide this service, as I am not a member. I do know that Reserve has an ambulance, and does transport from time to time. However, there is not always personel available who are qualified to respond. This is not just for ambulance service, but fire calls as well. Not long ago I heard a call go out in to Union fire department, but they were unable to respond because they didn't have anyone to drive the truck. They put the call out three times, hoping to get a driver, but were unsuccessful. Fortunately, the call went out to other departments as well who were able to respond.

This raises the bigger issue of the ability for a volunteer company to provide the necessary services in the future. Many VFD's are having difficulties recruiting new members who can dedicate the time necessary to meet the community's needs. Given the economic climate, coupled with the demands placed on those with jobs, can communities continue to rely only on volunteers to protect them? Those who do serve are tireless, dedicated, individuals who sacrifice for their communities, and deserve our gratitude. My fear is that, in time, there will not be enough people who are willing to face the challenge. Whether it is age, job constraints, or having to relocate for work, how can we fill those spots? Employers are not as willing, as in the past, to accomidate worker's schedules if a person is a volunteer firefighter.

My work prevented me from joining the department where I used to live. It was impossible to meet the training and other manditory requirments required. My son did become a member while in high school as part of his community service requirment, and served for several years after graduating, before he had to leave the area to find work. This scenario is being played out in numerous areas where they depend on volunteers for fire service.

We may need to explore partial paid fire companies in the future, which will impact future budgets. This is being done in many communities in Florida, where my son now lives, with some success. Firefighters start as volunteers, and when there is an opening for a paid position interested members can fill those spots. But, they are required to meet the necessary qualifications to fill those openings. You can't move up based only on seniority. Also, volunteers receive tax breaks for their service, providing they meet set guidelines on a regular basis.

I can tell you that if this does go out for bid, I will be watching carefully, and contacting other ambulance services in the area to assure competition.

[gorja]

From: http://www.westseneca.net/index.php?q=node/544

The resolution was tabled.
From the West Seneca Bee-

Contract proposal draws firefighters to Town Board meeting 2011-12-22 / Front Page

Final meeting for Clarke, Piotrowski
by KIMBERLY MCDOWELL Editor
The Town Board’s last meeting of the year was one of the most well-attended in 2011, as an entire side of the courtroom was packed with town firefighters.

The first communication item on Monday night’s agenda, a request made by Councilman Dale F. Clarke, was a proposal for a contract between the town and a an ambulance provider.

Clarke, a 43-year member of Winchester Fire Company, told the crowd of fellow emergency responders Monday night that there is a need for an outside ambulance provider due to a “manpower shortage” in each of the town’s six fire districts.


The shortage has led to long wait times for the town’s responders to arrive at the scene of an emergency, he said, sometimes leaving the town to rely on Rural/ Metro Medical Services, causing an even greater delay.

“The main concern is to get a quicker response to people calling for help. How they do it, I don’t care, just as long as it’s done,” Clarke said outside the meeting.

The mass turnout of firefighters on Monday was caused by a reported miscommunication; the councilman said a rumor began circulating that the board was to approve a contract with Rural/ Metro that night. That was not the case, he said, and the town does not currently have a contract with any outside ambulance service.

“This has been blown out of proportion,” Clarke said during the meeting, calling it a case of he-said, she-said. “Every fire company should think of people first ... this is not a Rural/Metro thing, it’s not a contest. Whoever gets there first and can save a life, God bless them.”

The board tabled the item that night, which later drew verbal appreciation from East Seneca’s Rusty Funk, a 37-year member of the fire service.

“Thank you for tabling this so we can work to get a resolve to this issue ... I’m sure we’ll all work together and come up with a great solution,” said Funk, the only emergency responder to speak publicly during the meeting.

Councilwoman Sheila M. Meegan said an informal meeting has been scheduled at Vigilant Fire Company on Jan. 18 for both fire and town officials to discuss the need for an outside ambulance provider.

Then, a work session that will provide an opportunity for public input will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, at West Seneca Town Hall, 1250 Union Road.

Outside the meeting, Clarke noted that the board learned of at least two or three other local services, besides Rural/Metro, options that may be explored for the proposed contract.

[dtwarren]

From: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article710257.ece

Around the country, Rural/Metro has heard complaints about its billing.

It faces a criminal investigation in Kentucky after the FBI searched its offices in Louisville.

A former employee in Alabama filed a whistle-blower lawsuit accusing Rural/Metro units there of systematic fraud, and the Justice Department has joined the case.

In Ohio, Rural/Metro paid $2.4 million to settle a federal investigation of its billings.

Federal agents are now inquiring about practices at Rural/Metro Medical Services of Western New York, according to former and current employees of the region's largest ambulance provider.

The Buffalo News interviewed a dozen current or former workers. Five said they were either aware of an investigation or were approached by an agent.

The current and former workers told The News that Rural/Metro focuses so intently on profits it has broken from common industry practices when billing patients and insurers.

[dtwarren]

From: http://www.buffalonews.com/city/article711441.ece

Rural/Metro's top people in Western New York say they encourage employees to report wrongdoing to company managers -- not newspaper reporters.

But a Rural/Metro employee remembers an episode from 2009, when those on the front lines reported to managers possible criminal wrongdoing -- arson -- by two emergency medical technicians within their ranks.

Then they heard only silence from above.

Company managers say they promptly investigated but didn't feel they had to tell their tipsters that the internal inquiry had stalled when the targets denied wrongdoing.

"We investigated this thoroughly," said John M. Rusinski, the company's risk manager, who also is a volunteer firefighter in West Seneca and who recently joined the Town Board. "It was a he-said, she-said. ... We did our due diligence," he insisted.

Rusinski said he called the Buffalo Fire Department on May 18, 2009, to make officials there aware of the suspicions and his inconclusive findings.

But by that date, the Buffalo Fire Marshal's Office already had begun its own investigation after receiving a tip about the Rural/Metro EMTs from another Rural/Metro ambulance worker, according to the man who headed the office at the time, now-retired Lt. Salvatore Colangelo.

Colangelo said he doesn't recall any Rural/Metro manager contacting the department.

"No one from Rural/Metro management ever gave us a call as far as I can remember," Colangelo recently told The Buffalo News during the latest of three interviews on the subject.

Colangelo said he wishes Rural/Metro managers had alerted fire marshals immediately after receiving the allegations, rather than conducting their own inquiry first.

The News called Colangelo as it examined the assertions of current and former Rural/Metro employees speaking out about the company in Western New York.

Rural/Metro's top officials dismiss those employees' assertions as baseless complaints from disgruntled workers, who, they said, should report suspected wrongdoing to managers, not reporters.

But in the matter of the two suspected arsonists, some employees apparently tried that and came away dissatisfied.

Colangelo emphatically recalls that the tip about the Rural/Metro EMTs involved in arson came not from management but from an ambulance worker frustrated that -- in his view -- managers had not acted on the suspicions.

"An employee from Rural/Metro contacted one of our investigators and told them of their concerns about [two employees starting fires]," Colangelo said. "The employee was concerned that if something was not done to stop it, firefighters could be injured or killed at one of these fires."