Paramedic Training

[NJFFSA16]

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) - Firefighters are ready to start
paramedic training in preparation for the Fire Department's
submitting a proposal next April to provide long-term ambulance
service for the area.
The City Council agreed Tuesday to put an item on next week's
council agenda to fund training for 15 firefighters. Estimated cost
is $4,173 per firefighter for an overall cost of $62,595.
Fire Chief Bob Platts told the council the training would
require no overtime pay because firefighters have agreed to either
receive the training during their working hours or to come in
voluntarily on their own time.
Platts said the training will be done through the Regional
Health Education Center, an affiliate of Mercy Medical Center-North
Iowa.
City Administrator Tim Moerman said it was important for the
council to consider the training now because new classes begin in
November. The training takes 13 months.
Platts said there are other benefits besides being in position
to be the ambulance operator. He said the training will be helpful
to firefighters called on to help in "confined space rescues" -
situations where people are trapped in areas where they cannot get
out without assistance.
Also, said Platts, "47 percent of all firefighter deaths in the
United States are heart attack related so having paramedics
available is helpful there, too."

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[fyrman1977]

[QUOTE]The City Council agreed Tuesday to put an item on next week's
council agenda to fund training for 15 firefighters. [QUOTE]

Yup, it's a great deal....but I'm number 17 or 18 on that list. Oh well, someday I'll have some senority! :(

[NJFFSA16]

MASON CITY, Iowa (AP) - The City Council has approved funding
for training 15 Mason City firefighters as paramedics in case the
fire department takes over long-term ambulance service in North
Iowa.
The training will be done through the Regional Health Education
Center at a cost of $4,173 per firefighter and an overall cost of
$62,595. Fire Chief Bob Platts said firefighters will take the
training during their working hours or will come in on their own to
receive it, so there will be no overtime involved.
The training lasts 13 months and the next session begins later
this month, said City Administrator Tim Moerman.
The training will help the fire department position itself as a
potential provider of long-term ambulance service in North Iowa.
Ambulance service became a concern in August when owners of
Snell's Ambulance Service announced they might have to close
because of changes in Medicare reimbursements. Snell's asked for
government financial help.
Officials decided to make short-range and long-range plans in
case Snell's closed. After hearing proposals from Snell's and from
Siouxland Paramedics, Sioux City, the short-term committee chose
Snell's as the short-term provider. They are still deciding on
long-term service.

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

[fyrman1977]

Make it like Snell's,
By JOHN SKIPPER, Of The Globe Gazette

MASON CITY - The service level of Snell's Ambulance in Mason City is the model for others to emulate, long-term ambulance committee members said Tuesday night.

The committee has the responsibility of recommending a long-range ambulance plan for Cerro Gordo and Worth counties and developing a request for proposals (RFP) to potential service providers.

Merrill Meese, state EMS regional coordinator, said Snell's has 43 employees, most at the paramedic specialist level. It is the only ground transportation service in Cerro Gordo County. It serves Worth County, the only county in Iowa without a transport service, said Meese.

Snell's has enough staff and equipment to man ambulances in Mason City, one in Clear Lake and have one on stand-by.

Mason City Councilman John Jaszewski pointed out that Snell's also provides training to emergency crews in other towns, often free of charge, and replenishes their supplies.

"If our current system is working well, shouldn't we build an RFP to meet that level?" asked Mason City Councilman Roger Bang.

Paul Leavens, emergency services coordinator for Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, said, "I think this is what we should use to build our foundation."

Meese said many communities have non-transport emergency services that depend on Snell's, among them Northwood, Joice, Grafton, Manly, Rockwell, Swaledale, Dougherty, Thornton, Meservey and Hanlontown.

The committee agreed to meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday each week for the next month and then periodically until the task is complete.

Joe Myhre, facilitator for the committee, said once requests for proposals are sent out, the committee should expect to receive several responses. It will be the committee's job to make a recommendation on which proposal best serves the needs of Cerro Gordo and Worth counties.