Posted on September 24 at 12:14 p.m.

Makesense,

It is only now that the financial hangover is upon us, as well the change in guard with regard to local fire chiefs, that most everyone is in agreement that a consolidated system is the direction to proceed in.

For years, 30+ and counting, the issues from the different fire districts' taxpayers have been that they wanted to pay for what they thought they needed. On one hand this makes good sense, and is the basis of good government. Figure out what level of service you want and pay for it. This portion works for roads, for medians, and for other items, but not public safety. If you live in North Naples, at some point you travel to or through another area of the county, Alligator Alley for example. While you live in NN and pay for NNFD, you will be serviced by GGFD, ENFD, or Ochopee if you have an issue on the alley. CCEMS will be the ultimate medical provider regardless, but a good portion of your services will be from another district than that in which you pay taxes. So as a citizen, I want a universal response, FIRE and EMS. I want the same services and abilities regardless of where I am in the county. The only answer to this question is consolidation.

So your turf observation was correct, sort of. The savings, well 50% is extraordinarily off base. Most of the operational costs of departments (FIRE or EMS) are salaries. Yes in consolidation you can streamline, and yes there will be redundant positions, no need for multiple head chiefs, but those positions do not necessarily go aware, they just morph as there is more to do and you still need people to do it.

On Collier EMS medical director will answer to commissioners

Posted on September 24 at 11:16 a.m.

Outlaw,

I suspect what Jamie was referring to, and was probably misquoted, was that unless the office is truly established nothing will change. Again I'm not sure what he was thinking, but these are my thoughts.

Allow me to explain. If you remove the medical director, but give him no resources, then where does he get his resources? Who does his training? How does he communicate with FIRE and EMS? Without resources, he requires EMS and EM staff to do this. What needs to happen, as I see it, is to remove training and compliance from EMS and give them to the 'office of the medical director'. This takes the politics out of saving lives, elevates medical care, and grants the medical director the ability to function properly without 'Mother May I's' to EMS for resources.

As for your quote, "Collier County EMS is a nationally recognized, award winning EMS system. They provide a consistent service countywide." - They were at one time.... when most employees spent their careers there and turnover was low. Now, due to change in focus, people leave. Good people leave. Some stay, but the level of experience on the street is not what it was when EMS was a 1999, 2000 world class system.

Collier EMS is broken, not fragmented.

On Collier EMS medical director will answer to commissioners

Posted on September 24 at 10:32 a.m.

Outlaw,

The purpose of creating an office of the medical director is to improve care by removing the politics and concentrating on saving lives. The office of the medical director would be just that, Tober's office. He could further develop/tweak his protocols and have a staff, outside of EMS or fire, to do the training and make sure that everyone is prepared at whatever level is deemed appropriate. This is the best possible situation. By removing the medical director from EMS and giving everyone equal access, life gets better, care gets better and the politics (if they properly form and fund the office) die.

This is a win win. Tober can do what he feels is right and necessary and not worry about pleasing EMS and EM management. They can't hold the, 'we will just not renew your contract' crap over his head.

On Collier EMS medical director will answer to commissioners

Posted on September 23 at 7:16 p.m.

Commissioners remember the challenge, make sure that if you create the office as you effectively did today, that you give it the resources to succeed. Just creating it and not supporting it and helping it establish itself is a failure. With an apolitical (outside EMS or FIRE), system everyone can win.

On Collier EMS medical director will answer to commissioners

Posted on August 24 at 9:57 a.m.

Collier EMS Chief Jeff Page said he could use an assistant chief. All of the fire districts have them, but he doesn’t, he said in early August.

“I’ve got over 200 employees,” he said.

Dead wrong... The county needs to wipe out Page and Bowman, add a chief that can work for the people they provide service to and the employees that provide that service....

Only vision can allow the next Evolution of EMS...

On Fire-ambulance consolidation talk still alive in Collier

Posted on August 20 at 9:07 a.m.

Great Job Shannon...

FYI NDN St. John Neumann's first graduating class was 1984 not 1986 with shannon.

On St. John Neumann’s basketball coach helps raise money, renovates gym within six weeks

Posted on June 18 at 3:24 p.m.

This is very heartening to hear people in the blogs actually support the officer. Jadip811, I've seen you do this before, but it is unusual that the blogs are not entirely negative.

What this article doesn't mention is that Mr. Holton was the gentleman on the receiving end of an improper comment from a superior that ultimately resulted in one Capt being fired and one being reassigned.

There may be more to this story...

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/f...

On Lee deputy fired after allegedly hitting man in handcuffs

Posted on June 6 at 8:17 p.m.

Guess all that 'we need to thank Capt. Freeman for all his years of service' line in Hunters email to the agency last week just backfired. Way to get the agency to congratulate someone you had major suspicions about...Nice Judgement Sheriff...NDN why don't you get a copy of that email, it should be public record...

And to think Hunter busted him from Sgt, all those years ago, what was it 97, 98, 99? for the bachelor party? Then all was forgiven.

If you were ever trying to confirm that rank has its privelege, then you just did it.

On Improper conduct allegations leads to retirement of Collier Sheriff’s Office veteran

Posted on May 31 at 6:16 p.m.

naplestango,

FYI...
The South end of Barefoot Beach Park would make a perfect secluded nudist haven.

That's in Collier County not Bonita Springs...

On Jump-starting economy common bond of Estero-Bonita leaders

Posted on May 29 at 8:13 a.m.

April 24 (1st meeting) to Aug 30 (The final concession agreement should be ready by Aug. 30, according to a FDOT timetable.), I've never seen the state move so fast....

Who's pockets are heavier after this? Where is the rat?

On Brent Batten: Calculating the toll of leasing I-75