Pennsylvania Firefighters Challenge New 911 Protocol

March 27--HARVEYS LAKE -- The borough's volunteer firefighters went public Monday with concerns about how changes to fire and ambulance protocol might affect emergency response time.

Firefighter Rich Williams and fire Chief David Davis told residents and other firefighters they want Luzerne County 911 to go back to simultaneously dispatching the Harveys Lake and Kunkle fire and ambulance department during the day, when most volunteers are at work and it's not always possible to get a crew together. That could lead to delays of up to nine minutes in circumstances when every minute is critical, according to Williams.

But 911 Executive Director David Parsnik, who was not at Monday's conference in the Harveys Lake fire hall, said the county's new computer-aided dispatch system won't allow dual dispatch. He said the county isn't singling out Harveys Lake, and he doesn't see a need to change the protocol back.

County officials bought the CAD system from California-based Tiburon Inc. for $1.8 million. It went online Feb. 28 at the Luzerne County 911 center in Hanover Township. Parsnik said municipalities were notified in November that 911 would no longer be doing simultaneous dispatch of two fire and ambulance companies.

Instead, all fire and ambulance companies were asked to list their in-service and out-of-service availability, and they all have done that, including Harveys Lake, Parsnik said.

"The bottom line is, either your ambulance is in service or it's not," he said.

Williams said in the past the county would dispatch both Harveys Lake and Kunkle ambulances on day calls. If Harveys Lake was available, its crew would go, and Kunkle would usually come along anyway to provide additional manpower. If Harveys Lake wasn't available, Kunkle would head out immediately.

Now, when Harveys Lake ambulance is dispatched, it is toned out three times, three minutes apart, and if Harveys Lake doesn't respond, only then does 911 tone Kunkle, Williams said.

"In my opinion, that's a nine-minute delay in service," he said.

Williams said the state's Act 8 requires municipalities to provide for fire and ambulance service, and the related Act 78 states in part that "each 911 plan shall be designed to meet the individual circumstances of each community and the public agencies participating in the 911 system."

He said the county is violating Act 78 by not allowing the dual dispatch.

"If they spent $1.8 million on a CAD system that does not meet state regulation, then they just wasted $1.8 million of the taxpayers' money," Williams said.

He said he has contacted the previous county officials and the new administration about the situation, and hasn't gotten anywhere.

Parsnik said Harveys Lake was the only municipality in Luzerne County to complain about the new system.

Trucksville fire Chief Bill Eck disputed that when Williams brought it up at the meeting.

"I have them on speed dial," he said.

Harveys Lake firefighters intend to continue their battle, including airing their grievance at a future county council meeting. Eck and said the other departments need to fight with them as a group.

Kunkle Fire Chief Jack Dodson agreed. He said his department has been allied with the Harveys Lake department for more than 50 years.

"The two fire companies have been working so close together, it's almost like one fire company," Dodson said.

Members of Harveys Lake council and Mayor Clarence Hogan attended Monday's conference and also voiced their support for the fire department.

"We have to make them deal with it," Councilwoman Michell'e Boice said of county officials. "They created the problem."

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Copyright 2012 - The Citizens' Voice, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.