|
CUTTING ON-DUTY AMBULANCES BY 10 STAFFED BY 60 FIREFIGHTERS BEING CONSIDERED IN LOS ANGELES TO REDUCE SPENDING
Originally Posted: March 10, 2010 6:10 AM
Last Updated: March 10, 2010 6:10 AM
Maeve Reston writes in the Los Angeles Times: the Los Angeles (California) City Council may deactivate 10 rescue ambulances at night.
The move would cut service by 60 firefighters and 10 ambulances with the fewest calls per day -- 3.5 on average. This move could result in a $3 million saving and $20 million savings if kept in place for a year.
The stations losing a basic life support rescue unit during off-peak hours are in Cahuenga Pass, Eagle Rock, Franklin Canyon, Granada Hills, Porter Ranch, South El Sereno, Sunland, Terminal Island, West Hills and Wilmington.
Fire officials say daytime operations account for 60% of the calls -- and that the remaining 40% of calls would have to be shifted to nearby stations overnight.
Pat McOsker, president of United Firefighters of Los Angeles City Local 112, said the city already has fewer basic life support ambulances operating this fiscal year than last.
LA Times: "According to Battalion Chief Patrick Butler, the city has 127 ambulances -- 89 are advanced life-support ambulances staffed by two paramedics who respond to critical emergencies such as heart attacks and 38 are basic life-support units manned by two firefighters trained as emergency medical technicians who handle less serious injuries such as sprained ankles or broken fingers."
Because of this year's budget cuts, six of the basic life-support units are out of operation daily in varying locations around the city.
Council members have asked city analysts to explore other money-saving options, including reassigning 57 firefighters who aide battalion chiefs at emergency scenes and coordinate firefighter staffing.
Though the ambulance proposal will come back for consideration within a few weeks, some council members signaled that they are unlikely to support cuts under any circumstances.
Westside Councilman Paul Koretz"There's nothing that can more directly affect whether someone lives or dies, among all the services in our entire budget, than ambulance and paramedic services."
<< BACK
|
