City Council says no to paramedics

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.