Privatized Paramedics? Public Beware
Before jumping onto the private company paramedic bandwagon, great caution needs to be observed. The private companies are primarily in the business for profit, not patient care.
I have been a firefighter for nearly 24 years. In that time I have worked with many paramedics and have responded on thousands of medical aid incidents. On those many incidents, I have seen that the firefighter/paramedics have tremendous compassion, care and concern for their patients and their communities. Also, they are long-term employees who gain substantial experience over many years of providing service to their communities.
The private companies are, typically, very large, national firms with no loyalty to their patients or community. Their goal is to charge the patients and their insurance companies hundreds of dollars so that they can make a profit for their shareholders.
Ironically, the private companies still want the fire departments to be “first responders.” The private paramedics will come in after the firefighters assess the patient, they will assume patient care with the firefighters assisting them and bill for the services provided. No money will go to the fire departments. Their system will not work without the fire departments being the first responders. In effect, the fire departments will be responding on the same number of incidents that they currently respond to, while the private companies come in and scoop off the money. Certainly, the cities and counties could charge for paramedic services just like the private companies. Is that what the public wants? People are looking for a smaller, less intrusive and less costly government, and justifiably so. However, there are some services that government can provide better than the private sector. Emergency medical/paramedic service is one of those services.
MIKE REARDON
Laguna Niguel
* Two recent letters (Feb. 12), which question the recent approval of a joint powers fire authority, are certainly curious. Both letters were from people who live in Santa Ana. Santa Ana is not served by the Orange County Fire Department, and its citizens will not contribute in any way to the fire authority. One wonders what their interest is.
The bankruptcy seems to bring an interesting group out of the woodwork. These people dress up simplistic and perhaps self-serving ideas in the “privatization” flag and foist them off on local citizens who end up paying the bill for reduced services. This issue represents a warning to citizens that the bankruptcy has created an atmosphere that can result in the baby being thrown out with the bath water.
These Santa Ana writers seem very interested in the privatization of paramedic services. Interestingly, Santa Ana has a quality Fire Department, which provides a fully integrated, multitiered emergency response system which includes fire fighter/paramedics and ambulance services.
DAVID R. WILSON
President, Board of Directors
Orange County Fire Department
Chief Officers Assn.
