--
Oct. 22--CRESTVIEW -- Commissioners for the North Okaloosa Fire District are considering eliminating responses to low-priority medical calls in a proposed cost-saving measure unpopular with firefighters.
If the proposal is approved, firefighters would be limited to responding to high-priority medical calls that are life threatening or pose a threat of bodily harm to an emergency responder.
Fire Commissioner Dan Bowers Jr. said the cash-strapped department needs new equipment and that he is looking for savings anywhere he can.
"We've got to get rid of this old equipment," Bowers said.
If the department does away with all medical calls, it would save about $3,800 a year, mostly in gas, according to estimates.
The fire district's charter mandates that crews respond to fires, but does not require them to answer medical calls.
At a two-hour public hearing Thursday night, firefighters argued against the proposal. Many of them said they often don't find out how serious a call is until they are heading to the scene.
Others argued that many calls dispatched as low priority can turn out to be more serious than thought.
Commissioners took no vote Thursday. They will revisit the issue at their meeting Nov. 17.
