RSSCity Council says no to paramedics
Adkison casts deciding voteYakima Herald-Republic
E-mail
Print
Comments
More 'Local'
- Photo Journal -- Horses
- Body showed no signs of foul play
- Conservancy planning fundraiser
- Four injured in Wapato accident
- Fiesta de Salud is Saturday
- School board OKs raises for some
- Storm causes minor damage
Top Read
- Red Cross' new Valley interim executive director now on the job
- Yakima's Christmas parade warms hearts on a frigid night
- Photo: Quilters for a cause
- Yakima County rates poorly on uninsured children
- County budget: $51.9M ... and cutting
- Zais was right -- police chief has plenty to do here
- Co-op preschools experience an early-learning dilemma
Top Emailed
- Woman dies after rollover on I-82
- FBI studies Gulf cleanup job offers on Yakima Reservation
- Puckett schedules return to Union Gap for Old Town Days
- Ruling limits wildlife officers
- Camp Fire goes out after nearly 100 years
- Zais asks deputy police chief to retire
- Developer confirms Kohl's is coming to Valley Mall
Top Commented
- Teacher found innocent in sex case
- East Valley teen describes sex with teacher
- 07/28/10 Letters to the Editor
- Late-night phone call at issue in teacher-sex case
- Mother of crash victims: 'I need my husband and son here'
- Candidate can't convince baristas to quit
- Teacher on trial says she was trying to help teens
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The Yakima City Council voted no on paramedics Tuesday, ending for now one of the most contentious issues the community has faced in years.
In only her third meeting, newly appointed Council-woman Maureen Adkison found herself in the unenviable position of having to break a tie over the fire depart-ment's request to launch a limited rescue program.
Supporters said it was an issue of public safety. Opponents said it was big government. The vote was 4-3.
"It doesn't factor out for me," said Adkison, whose position on the issue was in doubt right to the end despite the fact that she's married to an orthopedic surgeon.
Her colleagues on the council were far more outspoken, arguing sometimes heatedly about public safety and the true meaning of February's failed EMS levy.
Had voters approved the levy, the fire department intended to hire a dozen firefighters and jumpstart a full-scale paramedic program. Trained only as basic EMTs, the city firefighters team up on aid calls with more highly trained paramedics provided by two private ambulance companies that serve the region.
But voters overwhelmingly rejected the tax measure. That in turn led to a protracted debate that arose when fire Chief Charlie Hines said he still wanted to start a limited rescue program using two firefighters on his staff who are already certified as paramedics.
Critics said voters were against an expanded paramedic program. Supporters countered that voters mostly were against a new tax, not paramedics per se.
After nearly four months of debate, the issue finally came to a head Tuesday. Hines argued that teaming up firefighter paramedics with ambulance paramedics makes sense and that the fire department has no desire to put the ambulance companies out of business.
"This is not about empire building or big government. Nothing could be further from the truth," he said. "It's about helping a human being on the worst day of their life.
Siding with Hines were Mayor Dave Edler and council members Kathy Coffey and Sonia Rodriguez. Edler was particularly outspoken in his support, accusing opponents of hypocritically trying to micromanage the fire department at the expense of public safety.
"I absolutely think we are stuck and need to move this community forward, and this is a small way to do it," he said.
Coffey and Rodriguez agreed, saying Hines should be able to run his department as long as he stays within his budget.
"He can only do what his budget allows him to," Rodriguez said.
But opponents argued a limited program was too innocent sounding and that it was only a matter of time before a full-scale program would start to drive up labor costs. Hines earlier in the meeting admitted he would hire more paramedics if allowed.
Noting that the fire department also wanted to hire a dozen more firefighters if the EMS levy passed, Councilman Bill Lover said he feared a paramedic program would strengthen the firefighters union and lead to nonbinding arbitration that would hit taxpayers in the pocketbook.
"We really need firefighters," he said, "not paramedics."
As the meeting wore on, Councilman Rick Ensey accused Edler of implying that opponents were "against saving lives." Also voting no was Councilman Micah Cawley.
"It's a setup," Ensey complained before announcing, "Obviously I'll be voting no."
* Chris Bristol can be reached at 509-577-7748 or cbristol@yakimaherald.com.
The Mayor and Fire Chief are arrogant and childish. They both make snarky comments and pontificate ad nauseam. Grow up!
Report ViolationWe see that Maureen Adkison is a HUGE disappointment. This was a softball-a VERY easy decision. Instead she shows her cards-good ole boy club. Another Bruce Smith controlled minion. Come on November!!!
Report ViolationWill we ever get anyone who will not be leary of standing up to the "good ole boy club"? I agree...come on November!
Report Violation"But voters overwhelmingly rejected the tax measure."
The voters have already spoken, or don't elections mean anything anymore?
A bunch of sore losers - can't have your way so you are going to go cry to "Mommy" and try to get it anyway.
There is no public safety issue here, just a way to expand our reliance on another government entity. IT is a scare tactic and too many people have suckered into it.I f our 2 local ambulance companies had a record of slow responses and poor service, things would be much different, I'm sure. We need to stop wasting taxpayer money in these times and get by with what we have. Also, we need to CUT taxes and stop the double-response system, where both the fire department and the ambulance go to every first aid call.
Firefighters need to fight fires - period. Way to stand up Maureen, and have the guts to vote for the TRUE benefit of the people of our city.
Yakima, you'd better sleep with your doors unlocked! I don't believe the ambulance services will make entry if they are.
This decision will cost lives. Next years stats will be interesting.
Maureen has just proved what I hoped she was not... a tool of Bruce Smith. It's too bad she can't see that this is a public safety issue. How can you not vote to allow firefighters to EVERYTHING they can to save our lives?
Report ViolationLook at a map of yakima. Find your home on the map. Now locate the nearest fire station and the nearest ambulance location. Which is closer? If it's the fire station, you just lost out on this decision. If it's the ambulance location, no worries.
I myself have 6 children and I have placed 4 calls to 911. Three times the fire department was first on scene. The fourth time it was the PD. Makes this decision a no-brainer to me...and shows the majority of city council as having no-brains.
And lobo accusng someone of using "...snarky comments and pontificate ad nauseam." That's the funniest thing I've heard all morning!
She stood up to this out of control mayor and his buddies. Good for her. It's clear the mayor and his friends are all about tax and spend.
Report ViolationIt is the exception to not be closer to an ambulance station in the city. I've researched this topic and there are 8-9 ambulance stations serving the city compared to five fire stations. I've seen extra ambulance crews parked in parking lots around town, so sometimes there twice as many ambulances in service compared to fire crews. Fire Station 92 is co-shared with West Valley so it's on the western edge of the city and Fire Station 94 is at the airport on the southern edge of the city.
Keep in mind the ambulance companies serve the entire upper county and usually arrive on scene first in the county fire districts. This model of pay for use serves the entire county well, not just the City of Yakima. I was at an accident near the top of White Pass (dead man's curve) last year and the green and white ambulance (as the chief and mayor like to call 'em)arrived at the same time as the fire crew that had to travel about half the distance.
The private ambulance companies serve our community very well at no cost to the people who don't use them. This is a very good program.
Let's move on to solve the real problems where our city is broken... daily gang shootings, auto theft, park funding, inept city code office, graffiti and stickers that cover every street sign in town.
Maureen made a clear and concise point. I don't see how that puts her in the good ol' boys club or attaches her to Bruce Smith's puppet strings. Remember, it was Mayor David Edler that proposed her with a unanimous vote of the council. I think some people have wrongly underestimated this woman.
Where does Chris Bristol get off calling out her husband's profession? ("It doesn't factor out for me," said Adkison, whose position on the issue was in doubt right to the end despite the fact that she's married to an orthopedic surgeon.) Perhaps Mr. Bristol should read Mrs. Adkison's bio. She's an accomplished woman, capable of thinking on her own, with extensive experience working in this community. She also has some unique experience working in the medical field including a stint at Harvard Medical School and President of the board of Yakima Regional Hospital.
I liked Woody Woodcock's question when he asked why the city fire department has never bothered to attain intermediate EMT certifications. I think the answer to that is there's only enough trauma for a finite number of professionals locally to maintain their skills and/or it proves intermediate EMT in the fire department aren't necessary as the ambulance paramedics are handling the workload sufficiently.
I also liked Bill Lover's point that if we open the door for 2 paramedics the firefighter's union could, during labor negotiation ask for more paramedics.. and if the city refuses, take it to arbitration and the arbitrator will look at the rest of the state, find that public sector paramedics are common and award the union paramedics irrespective of what the city council wants. If that happens guess where the money will come from to make up for the increased skill pay? Probably by letting a firefighter or two go, firefighters we're supposedly short in.
The city council made the correct decision. The fire budget is for fire fighting, not for providing paramedics. If people feel that the paramedics we have are inadequate, then they should address that as a separate issue instead of trying to redirect funding from the primary role of the fire dept.
Report ViolationThe city council made the correct decision. The fire budget is for fire fighting, not for providing paramedics. If people feel that the paramedics we have are inadequate, then they should address that as a separate issue instead of trying to redirect funding from the primary role of the fire dept.
Report Violation
Posting Guidelines - Updated Aug. 21 2009
Readers are encouraged to use these forums to discuss issues affecting the
Yakima Valley. Debate the ideas presented in stories and other comments, but
refrain from personal attacks and offensive remarks aimed at others; e.g.,
you may call an idea idiotic, but don't say the person is an idiot. The
Herald-Republic reserves the right to remove any comment for any reason.
Examples include material that is obscene, encourages illegal activity or
stereotypes based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and
other factors. Continued violation of these guidelines can lead to
suspension or revocation of your ability to post comments. If you believe a
comment is inappropriate, you can bring it to our attention by clicking the
"report violation" link by each comment. Guidelines revised Aug. 21, 2009.
Registered User?
