By admin | November 13, 2008
According to documents released to the City of La Crosse website, the Fire Department continues to fail National Fire Protection Association’s EMS response standards (NFPA 1710). They also fail to report their activations times, which are also a part of NFPA 1710. The failure to meet response standards of four minutes for First Responders in August, September, and October bring the total to 8 of 10 months where the La Crosse Fire Department is operating below the standard set forth by “an authorative source on public safety.”
Tri-State Ambulance on the other hand exceeded the standards by responding to all emergencies within 9 minutes (including activation) 99.2% of the time in August and 97.3% in September. October numbers were not available at time of posting.
Activation time… more...
Posted in Info | Tagged featured |
On Monday night the La Crosse County Board voted 25-7 to pass an amended ordinance 67 which creates a county-wide EMS commission. The commission will consist of a balanced membership including representatives from the cities of La Crosse and Onalaska, as well as representatives of the out-county areas currently served by Tri-State Ambulance. A key point of contention was the rights of physician representatives from both Franciscan Skemp and Gundersen Lutheran. The board voted to amend the ordinance to allow them voting rights.
The next step is to see whether or not the City of La Crosse will ignore the benefits of a regional body making decisions about a regional service. Councilwoman Lenard is expected to introduce a resolution to adopt the county’s commission tonight at the City Council… more...
By admin | November 5, 2008
Several circulators of petitions for putting the ambulance issue to referendum report they were intimidated by La Crosse city officials including the city attorney and an assistant. This intimidation included taking digital photographs of circulators and their signs on both public and private property, without providing any verbal communication as to their reason. A caller to WIZM reports circulators were given permission to locate on her property after being asked to leave the immediate area of a polling place. The caller then reported that the city attorney and his assistant took digital photographs of circulators and her property. This can only be construed as a challenge to the democratic process of allowing the electorate to exercise their right to petition for referendum. I look forward to hearing from the Mayor… more...
By admin | November 3, 2008
An astute citizen in Sheboygan points out a very interesting inaccuracy in the way the SFD is calculating costs of ambulance service. An excerpt:
Using the number 19, total expenses for the first six months of 2008 figures to be $718,799. The department listed receipts of $243,311 through June 30, which gives a negative difference of $475,488, not a profit of $113,387 as reported.
You can read the letter here
By admin | November 1, 2008
A Colorado State Senator and former Denver Health Paramedic writes a passionate piece in the Denver Post in which he points out that too many paramedics in a system is detrimental to patient care. You can read it here.
An excerpt from the piece:
Paramedics are highly trained and can be highly skilled. However, their skill is perishable. That is, if you don’t use it you lose it. When your circulatory system has completely collapsed because you are bleeding to death you need a paramedic that has started lots of IVs in the last day, week, and months, not one who is trying to start one for the first time in days or weeks. … more...
By admin | October 14, 2008
As was announced this morning by representatives of CRG and others opposed to the formation of a city-based ambulance, papers have been filed to begin a petition to force a binding referendum on the April ballot. Stay tuned for announcements about public information sessions to be held by the group and how you can get involved with the signature drive.
Today’s announcement was covered by the La Crosse Tribune
WXOW and WKBT seem not to be covering the story on their websites… more...
By admin | September 10, 2008
So far there’s no official information coming from the CRG, but sources familiar with the group’s operations are reporting a plan to go through with their promise of forcing a binding referendum on the ambulance issue. If you are interested in supporting the cause, you may contact Dave Drewes via email at ddrewes4990@charter.net. If you’re interested in joining the local government watchdog group, which I encourage you to do, membership dues are an affordable $10/year… more...
Reports from last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting include more pitches for the La Crosse Fire Department to enter the ambulance business. Firefighters from La Crosse, Sheboygan, Eau Claire, Manitowoc, and West Bend spoke about the ‘benefits’ of fire department based ambulance services rather than focus on why they opposed the advisory referendum. Matt Zavadsky of Tri-State Ambulance provided rebuttal to the accusations of misinformation levied by the fire department at last Tuesdays Judiciary and Administrative Committee meeting. It seems as if they (Eau Claire and Oshkosh reps, too) were bearers of ‘misinformation’ as well. Zavadsky has provided a digital copy of the information he provided. You can download it here.
A lively discussion (courtesy… more...
By admin | September 5, 2008
Tuesday night’s J & A Meeting La Crosse, Eau Claire, and Oshkosh firefighters opposed the advisory referendum by accusing Tri-State Ambulance and Gundersen Lutheran of “using the media” to propagate misinformation. They also accused the current EMS system, including EMD, of not having transparency. Amazingly, after reviewing my notes, the department was only able to give two specific ‘examples’ of misinformation:
Firefighter Hoelk (I apologize for misspelling last names…could only go with what I heard) claimed Tri-State and Gundersen Lutheran worked with the media and used forums to misinform the public about a La Crosse fire department ambulance service. He claimed they misinformed the public about the fire department’s lack of experience. His response is that he himself has worked as a paramedic for Rapid City, SD and that… more...
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EMS Educator’s letter to the La Crosse Tribune (UNEDITED)
I am a paramedic and emergency medical services educator in the La Crosse area. I am a tax paying resident of the city of La Crosse and have worked in this EMS system for over 30 years. A recent study**, done in Los Angeles, California (involving one of the nation’s largest fire departments) was presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Emergency Physicians on October 27, 2008. The Study showed that on patients suffering cardiac arrest (when the heart suddenly stops beating) , the critical life saving treatment in the first 2 – 3 minutes by first arriving EMS personnel consists of good BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, specifically 2 minutes of effective chest compressions and then defibrillation if indicated with an Automated External Defibrillator.