The city agreed to continue paying for firefighters to respond to medical emergencies, but will lobby the provincial government for compensation. Fire Chief Dave Fields told council it costs his department about $82,000 per year in fuel costs and other expenses to act as a first responder in emergencies. Firefighters assist paramedics and in some cases cover for them when the ambulance service is delayed. Fields told council he was informed by Essex-Windsor EMS that if the fire department withdrew its help, two more ambulances would be required at an annual cost of about $1 million each. The city pays 28 per cent of area ambulance costs, with the county and province splitting the rest. Council agreed to ask its county counterparts and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to join with them to lobby the provincial government to cover the costs for fire response to medical emergencies. The fire department responds to about 2,300 medical calls each year or roughly six per day, Fields said. They represent about 20 per cent of all calls received.
Fields was defensive during Tuesday’s debate as Mayor Eddie Francis hinted the city should stop paying for the service. “I realize I’m a manager too, but you can’t help it,” he said afterwards. “When you work in public safety, your heart is in this for the level of service. It’s the lifesaving and public I care about. “I understand better now where he is coming from. It’s just the wrong people are funding this.” Francis said he agrees public safety is paramount, but added that the city should be paid by the province for providing the service.“We are providing a service which land ambulance can’t provide and we should be compensated for that,” he said.
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Windsor Fire Force has a complement of 258 firefighting personnel and officers is supported by 3 Administrative staff, 7 Clerical staff, 1 Planning Officer, 3 Training Officers, 11 Fire Prevention Officers, 1 Public Education Officer, 2 Communication Co-ordinators, 8 Dispatchers, 5 Mechanics in the Apparatus and Equipment Division and 3 Technical Support Specialists.
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Don Quixote Note: First Responders, Fire Services and Pre-hospital Emergency Care in British Columbia A Report to the Emergency Health Services Commission
accepted by THE EMERGENCY HEALTH SERVICES COMMISSION March 2007
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