Lehigh Acres Fire Chief Donald Adams told the board of fire commissioners if the ambulance transport is eliminated the Fire District would save more than $628,000. Adams gave a presentation and noted that this was a presentation of facts for the consideration by the board of fire commissioners. It showed that the total annual net loss for the EMS was around one million dollars for fiscal 2010-2011.
“This is not intended to promote the disillusion or the continuance of the ambulance transport service either way,” Chief Adams said.
The chief’s presentation was titled Analyzing Fire Based EMS by the Numbers. Click here to read it.
Adams reported that the ambulance service is a critical component of the health care system in Lehigh Acres, providing both emergency care as well as the transportation of patients to medical facilities. Adams said that prompt and skilled EMS service provided in the first moments of emergency care can make the difference between a patient’s full recovery and an extensive and costly patient rehabilitation.
He listed overhead cost for Fiscal Year 2010-2011 as salaries and wages, additional pay and supervision costs for personnel; equipment and supplies, including capital, equipment maintenance, apparatus maintenance, equipment supplies, stationary supplies, equipment insurance,, service-related supplies and other facilities such as utilities, and certifications.
He said the direct cost for personnel is $1,719,373.28 and that the indirect cost, including other services necessary, total $251,960.18.
Fire board members have discussed often whether the ambulance service should be eliminated and handed over to the county.
Adams even offered pros and cons of transport service provided by the fire district. Review the full report by clicking here.
The four commissioners took no action on the report, but suggested more study.
Hi to all,
I am upset to think that the fire chief, can not or will not understand how the rest of this coutry operates when it come to responding to someone that calls 911 with a simple problem.
To begin with, not too long ago, I had called 911 for the MEDICS only. I was very clear in the request. It was about 3:00 AM. I had trouble breathing, and I said that very CLEARLY on the telephone.
The first ones to my home were the firemen. All dressed up for a fire, in their clothing. They came with the ladder and hoses. ( note- we do not live NEAR any fire hydrants, there are none). We are on well, and septic system. I asked why, they came. The answer was…….”THEY have too”. The only thing they did was to take my blood pressure. I asked for air…… They had none, and called to make sure the real medics were on there way. The ambulance finally came. They were professional people.
There have been other problems that this chief will not address pretaining to the medics only issue. There have been calls in my neighborhood, with people only having the FLU. Yes, the FLU. But who shows up first…….firemen dressed for a fire…………realllllllllly.
Who is kidding who……The reason the firemen show up first is to protect the UNION jobs…..Sorrrrrrry.
There has been a case where a woman FAINTED in church……….guess who showed up for a fire……….You got it……… The UNION firemen.
There is a problem now with the firemen stopping off at Winn Dixi for food supplies in the BIG fire trucks on company time. All the other types of jobs that I know, require the EMPLOYEES to stop for food, before they actually punch in for any shift.
In my opinion, the fire chief must address the fire Department and its operations first.
Love to get feedback on this issue.
I think the Fire Chief is the problem. I was told by the fire chief, that they only did an internal audit. So as far as knowing the real truth in how much monies have been spent, is anyones guess.
Also, I was told by our fire chief, that the reason the fire truck goes before the medics, is to protect the medics from being hit by bad drivers…….REALLLLLLY.
Again, love to hear from all you folks out there……ASAP.
Ed McHale
ED you are right i say get a volatier fire dept and keep ems and i dont belive the wages they get, so lets get rid of union and go back to real wages i dont know anybody that makes that kind of money but for fire dept in lehigh as i been here for 39 years these guys have gone wild with our money ,SO ITS TIME TO GET SERIOS BOYS we need new commissioners with guts and start cutting