Detroit ems losing the battle

Buy American · September-19-10, 04:41 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/detroitnws/detroitnws_ts3655

I will bet you money that this story will bring a couple of EMS technicians before the Fire Commissioner, maybe a couple of suspensions without pay....but it won't bring more help to
Detroiters! Speak up Detroit! Start calling DFD, start writing the Mayor, make yourselves heard!!!

**Jimaz** · September-19-10, 06:44 PM

Nobody knows how deathly slow the Detroit ambulance system is better than the paramedics themselves.

Take the case of Detroit Fire Department paramedic Dave Smith, who late last month, was dispatched on a heart attack call to a dialysis center on the city's east side. When he and his partner arrived, the attendants were standing at the threshold, upset.

"We called you over a half-hour ago," they shouted.

Smith made his way to a man slumped in a chair in the back of the center. After a few furious moments trying to resuscitate him, Smith's eyes wandered up and settled on the victim's face.

"Uncle Alvin?" he asked.

"I was lost and bewildered," Smith recalled. "It's bad out here. Real bad."

Smith attended his uncle's funeral the following Thursday. He called in to work sick to his stomach.

Hell of a dramatic start to that story.

**buzzman0077** · September-19-10, 08:00 PM

As someone who has spent some time working in the ERs in Detroit, the real problem is not on the EMS side it is the extensive use of EMS as a taxi service, and the ER as a catch all for health care. If dispatchers were allowed to tell people with obviously bogus complaints to drive themselves and not waste a rig on them it would help. Community education is needed but likely won't help for the entitlement class that abuses the healthcare system.

**Meddle** · September-19-10, 08:47 PM

30 minutes from initial call to arrival isn't all that bad. Drive time alone can be 15 minutes or more even in non-busy times. Add in 5 minutes or more for call processing, dispatching, radio traffic, etc.

**gazhekwe** · September-19-10, 09:03 PM

It sounds like part of the problem is lack of coordination of area. They send an ambulance that is on the east side to Wyoming and Fenkell. Is there one closer, or not?

DetroitDad · September-19-10, 09:16 PM

Buy American... those who can, are.

Do you really think that city residents sit around and do nothing? Do you have even the slightest idea of the situations most city residents are in? They face... sigh, nevermind.

Buy American · September-19-10, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitDad

Buy American... those who can, are.

Do you really think that city residents sit around and do nothing? Do you have even the slightest idea of the situations most city residents are in? They face... sigh, nevermind.

Isn't it pretty obvious to you that whatever the City residents are doing isn't helping. I've experienced it, first hand. Dispatch used to send out EMS rigs back in the 80's for people who were constipated, who had "varicose veins" in their legs, who needed transportation to a doctors appointment. There has to be that line that can't be crossed and the EMS should be used only for it's purpose...emergencies.

Look at the meetings with Bing and his gang about "right sizing the City"; hundreds of people show up. I'm only saying that more needs to be done, and me and hundreds of others who are now the infamous "suburbanites" are perfectly aware that we are not welcome in Detroit to help...I've heard and seen Detroiters say "you're not welcome here, we take care of our own"....I think Conyers spewed it out one time. Nolan Findleys column today was right on. Detroit wouldn't grab a lifeline from Macomb, Oakland or any county if their lives depended on it. Well, Detroit can't take care of their own anymore and the City is disappearing at an alarming rate right now.

And, DetroitDad, sigh....I'm as frustrated as the next person about all of this....oh, nevermind....didn't mean to bother you.

**Meddle** · September-19-10, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

It sounds like part of the problem is lack of coordination of area. They send an ambulance that is on the east side to Wyoming and Fenkell. Is there one closer, or not?

I don't know how many units they have now. At one time it was 16. There was one at E30 on Meyers, one at E51 on Livernois, one at E42 on W. Chicago, one at E55 on Joy Rd. and one at E54 on Trinity.

If they happen to be out on other runs [[which happened a lot), then I can see an eastside or southside unit being sent.

There was a time when the crews were on the road from the time they started their shift until it ended. There was no down time at all. It was rare to see a Medic unit at the station unless it was shift change.

**Slim** · September-19-10, 11:35 PM

Longtime Lurker, first post.

I've spent almost 20 years working EMS for private companies in all different areas; urban [[Detroit, Pontiac, and Flint), suburban[[Oakland county), and rural [[Genesee and Shiawasse counties), and all I can say is that my heart goes out to the guys and gals at Detroit EMS. I know a few people who work/worked there, and they seem to be doing the best they can with what the city gives them [[as little as that is, sometimes).

I'm sure that everyone knows that the people to blame for this mess aren't the ones on the street, pulling calls. System abuse is a big problem in any city, or even rural area for that matter. People are out of work, they need medical care. So they call an ambulance and go to the ER because we can't turn them away based on ability to pay, and we can't go after them later through collections [[we can try, but of they don't have the money, we're stuck). The dispatchers can try to screen and prioritize the calls, but people eventually learn the trigger words that will cause the dispatchers to move calls up on the list [[think of someone reporting a "Man with a gun" or "Shots fired" because they know police will come right away).

Not sure how many rigs they're running now, I remember it being as low as 15, and as high as 24. The city also used to contract with the private services to provide extra three extra units that were dispatched and controlled by the EMS dispatcher, not sure if that's still going on though.

**Meddle** · September-20-10, 01:50 AM

Are there any private ambulance services left in the city? I remember the days of American Ambulance and a few others using the old Cadillacs. They basically hired drivers and not much more. One member of the two member crews had to have some medical background, but not much. It was right out of "Mother, Jugs and Speed".