The Coalition of Barrier Island Elected Officials put its support behind West Manatee Fire Rescue’s efforts to offer advanced life support services.
The group, made up of elected officials from Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach and Longboat Key, meets monthly to discuss issues and projects.
WMFR Chief Tom Sousa appeared before the BIEO in September to ask for the group’s support of the ALS initiative. In order to provide non-transport ALS, which would allow firefighters to be trained as paramedics but not to transport patients to the hospital, WMFR must receive a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from Manatee County.
The county’s COPCN process currently does not have a provision for non-transport ALS. Sousa is seeking the support of municipalities and governmental organizations to present to the Manatee County Board of Commissioners to help make his case.
“Right now, unfortunately, it’s going nowhere,” Holmes Beach Mayor Bob Johnson said of the process during the group’s Oct. 19 meeting at Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive. “I feel strongly it’s something we ought to be doing.”
Johnson suggested taking a resolution to each city commission for approval and presenting those, if approved, along with a letter of support from the BIEO.
“It’s a positive win,” Holmes Beach Commissioner Carol Soustek said. “There’s no downside to this at all.”
Both Holmes Beach Commissioner Jean Peelen and Anna Maria Mayor Dan Murphy said the issues WMFR is experiencing sound like a “power play” on behalf of the county to keep another organization from intruding on the county’s emergency management services.
“This is a big, statewide issue,” Manatee County Commissioner Betsy Benac, District 7, said. “It is a turf war to some degree.”
Benac said it would take action from the county commissioners to change the COPCN process. Currently, she said the commissioners are trying to determine if allowing the county’s fire departments, which operate independently, to provide non-transport ALS service would reduce EMS service funding.
Johnson said that while he doesn’t see the WMFR’s ALS service detracting from current funding, it could inhibit EMS growth.
If a COPCN is granted to WMFR, firefighters in the program, a total of nine or three per shift, would be required to take classes for one year on days off to certify as a paramedic. WMFR firefighters are currently certified as EMTs, a less advanced designation than EMS.
Sousa said to start the ALS program, the district would need to retrofit fire engines to carry an increased amount of medical equipment. None of the engines would have patient transport capabilities. Sousa said the district has no intention of pursuing patient transport.
While the program would cost the district more in salaries and equipment costs on top of training expenses, Sousa said the program would not cost property owners more in annual assessments. The start-up and maintenance costs of the ALS program already are based on the current assessment rate in the WMFR budget.
WMFR commissioners review and can amend the assessment rate annually before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
“All we want to do is reinforce the dialogue and make things happen,” Johnson said.
The issue was put before the Holmes Beach commission Oct. 25, after press time for The Islander.
The matter will go before the commissions in Bradenton Beach and Anna Maria at future meetings.
The BIEO will next meet at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, at Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road.
Its about time Manatee County starts to see some progress in public safety from the 1970’s. 80-90% of all calls every fire department in Manatee County goes on is medical. Yet they see fit to have less qualified personnel. Hillsborough County has had ALS Fire Engines for 20 years. But no surprise here, it seems that the Manatee County Government is once again impeding progress. Hillsborough county is one integrated department. Lee County and Pinellas County operate similar systems to Manatee County but once again, they are already ALS and offer a higher level of service. Lets stop living in the past and move forward for once.