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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016 05-04 Maplewood workgroup to present full review of Fire/EMS Department MAPLEWOOD REVIEW MAY 0 4 2016 Maplewood workgroup to present full review of Fire/EMS Department Sustainability of ambulance service is being studied Aundrea Kinney - is so Review staff $f l"` - This past February, a Fire/EMS study group was created to investigate the service levels and sustain- ability of the Maplewood.Fire and EMS Department. The Fire/EMS workgroup will present a full review Linda Baumeister/Review See Fire/EMS on page 11 The Maplewood Fire/EMS workgroup will be making recommendations to the city council. Fire/EMS... are medical calls, and often the ual aspects of the existing model city's three ambulances are all out such as demands in Maplewood, at the same time. "We end up not response times, department bud- continued from page 1 always having the amount of fire get and potential public or private coverage that we want." partners. of its findings and a recommenda- "Add on top of that that over 70 The results of their study will be tion at the Monday, May 9, Maple- percent [of the individuals being revealed at the May 9 city council wood City Council workshop. transported] are on Medicare or workshop, which will take place The Maplewood Fire Depart- Medicaid," Schnell said. Because from 5 to 7 p.m. at City Hall. The ment consists of 38 part-time these government programs only workgroup will also present a rec- "casual" firefighters and 15 full- cover a certain amount, Schnell ommendation to the council on time firefighters who work out of said that the department is provid- how to proceed with the delivery three stations. - _ ing those ambulance services at a of emergency services to better Maplewood operates its own loss. meet the needs of the community. ambulance service through the fire "The high percentage of Medi- The Fire/EMS workgroup con- epartment, and three advanced care/Medicaid [calls] puts Maple- sists of: assistant city manager Mike li upport ambulances are avail- wood in a uniquely challenging Funk;part-time battalion chief Mike able around the clock. Each ambu- position in regards to control cost," Lochen; fire chief/ emergency man- lance is staffed with a minimum of he said, which is why the work- agement director Steve Lukin; assis- one EMT and one paramedic. group investigated the sustainabil- tant fire chief Mike Mondor; police "What's happening is that our ity of the department. chief Schnell, one full-time fire- demand is going up considerably," Over the course of 10 meetings, fighter/paramedic and five residents. said Paul Schnell, Maplewood which lasted nine weeks, the Fire/ police chief and public safety direc- EMS workgroup studied the city's Aundrea Kinney can he reached tor. He explained that most of the delivery model for emergency at 651-748-7822 or akinney@lil- calls the fire department receives services. They examined individ- lienews.com.