Local News - July 2003

EMS plan debated

Published July 9, 2003

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

County fire and rescue officials told EMS and local leaders Tuesday evening that the new EMS Systems Plan should be put on hold until all parties could have a chance to dissect it.

It was a sea of black, blue and white uniforms as more than 75 fire, rescue and EMS members packed a stuffy Commissioners Room to discuss feelings about the plan, which has stirred up some controversy and tension among the agencies. Commissioners Larry Craig and James “Buddy” Funderburk and County Manager Stan Kiser also sat in on the meeting.

By the end of the 2-hour meeting, members agreed to work together and said they harbored no ill-will toward each other.

The plan and the ordinance that enforces it were adopted by the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners at their June 16 meeting.

The plan is intended to identify and coordinate all agencies that provide emergency care in the county. It sets forth standards for those emergency care providers, and gives EMS the authority to make sure they’re being met. It also puts Medical Director Inga Kish in charge of medical oversight.

The problem arose when fire and rescue personnel said they weren’t given a chance to see the plan and ordinance before they were  adopted.

“The ordinance was not presented to us,” said Trent Carpenter, captain of the Union Fire Department. It should have been given to county fire chiefs and the Firefighter’s Association before being presented to the county commissioners.

Commissioners thought that had been done, Craig said.

“We thought and were under the impression and understanding that all you folks were aware of the ordinance and had some input,” Craig said. “Our big concern is liability to Lincoln County — that’s what’s really driving us to have such an ordinance.”

Local fire departments and rescue squads met last week and unanimously voted that the 600-page plan should be put on hold, county Fire Marshal Mike Futrell said.

Fire and rescue personnel are not saying the plan is not needed, Futrell said, but they need a chance to go over it before they’re forced to follow it.

“We just want a chance to make comments …,” he said.

EMS personnel insisted there was no ill-will in the development of the plan, and Director Ron Rombs was visibly upset by some of the feelings that have been expressed over the past couple of weeks.

Some controversy was centered around a quote from Rombs that appeared in the Charlotte Observer June 29.

Rombs was quoted as saying many department members were taught how to fight fires by their grandfathers, a comment that prompted many to take offense.

The comment had a “derogatory nature,” Carpenter said, and insulted the standards set forth by veteran firefighters.

Rombs told the group that his entire statement was not used by the paper and that portion of the quote was taken out of context.

During the 2-hour interview, he also talked about how noble and honorable the brotherhood of firefighters is, he said.

Rombs said he was shocked with the way his words were presented in the article.

“I took that very personal,” Rombs said, noting that it was meant as a very positive comment. “I apologize from the bottom of my heart … you folks have got my utmost respect.”

 Rombs also apologized for not presenting the document to fire chiefs or the association.

Officials updated the document to bring it up to current standards, Rombs said.

It’s a “fluid document that continuously gets updated,” Rombs said.

“I used that document to pull everything together and establish a baseline to get us where we needed to go,” he said.

Much concern was centered around changes to how training for departments would be carried out.

The Systems Plan states that training is to be coordinated through EMS Training Coordinator John Watts. Watts will designate who teaches training courses.

The training standards were not intended to imply that departments were not meeting requirements, Rombs said, and there is no dispute about what fire departments do. The plan is a tool to point agencies in the right direction.

“Why not set the bar where we’re already at or where we need to beef up a few things?” Rombs said.

All the agencies agreed they have one common purpose — giving the patient the best care possible.

“We want to provide them with the best service,” Flynn said. “We’re not against a coordinated effort, but a big part of a coordinated effort is having everybody involved.”

Flynn said that no one holds any ill feelings toward anyone else.

“We don’t want people to think the fire departments are hard to get along with,” he said. “We’re here to work through this.”

North 321 Chief Mike Boyles echoed that and insisted that the situation is not a “power struggle” after hearing a comment from the someone in the crowd.

So what’s next?

County Attorney Jeff Taylor said that since the document was not presented to the proper groups before its adoption, the argument could be made that agencies are not obligated to abide by it.

Agency leaders will now look at forming a committee to examine the plan.

“Let’s iron this out and make it work,” Craig said.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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