Quoted from gadfly

The RFP was written by the Town Attorney....who has impressively collected a mountain of information on the history and operations of REMS....and has wisely
specified a five year term for proposals....so it can't be the political hot potato it's always been.

REMS has never achieved or maintained consistently acceptable response times....or response rates for that matter. The standards outlined are in the best
interest of the Town. I don't believe they were designed to make it unattainable for REMS...but rather to serve the purpose of securing the safety of our
residents to the highest degree possible...while holding the provider accountable in every way....accountability REMS was allowed to escape.

Quoted from CICERO

Why did this administration dissolve the entire paramedics unit if they were concerned about the safety of the town residents?  Even if what you say is all true, why would the town eliminate the proven paramedics, and put all their eggs in one basket with Mohawk, who have yet to prove they can serve the entire town?  

Sure, the town attorney can put the "minimum standards" on a piece of paper, it doesn't mean Mohawk will reach them.  And even if they didn't meet the response time standards, who is monitoring it and what is the towns recourse?(if it even gets reported)

Even during the time of the NNTP, and up to now, nobody I know complained about the cost or quality of the town paramedic service.  Nobody even complained about REMS.  The only complaint was a taxing district for them, and subsidizing them through the town budget.  Never their response time service levels.

Quoted from gadfly

Mohawk has a well established history of maintaining response times well within industry and national standards and, as I said, there are penalties for
failure to consistently maintain such response times.....a report of which must be provided to the Town on a monthly basis.

Mohawk has already proven they can fully serve the Town's EMS needs.....who do you think was picking up all of REMS' dropped calls all these years? Or
covering unavailable paramedics? And they have plenty of back up in the event of multiple and simultaneous emergencies where REMS does not. In fact,
the recently expired REMS contract did not even provide the same coverage we will now have 24/7.

You're right about one thing: Nobody was complaining about the care delivered by REMS....when they were there.....or the paramedics. The biggest
problem is their eternal inability to be financially self-sustaining and their history of both extended response times and significant numbers of dropped calls...
all while they were soliciting donations, asking for bailouts from the Town and illegally retaining funds from billing for paramedics they did not provide.

I hope this answers your questions......

Quoted from CICERO

Well, the only question not answered, which you claim to already have been determined, is that Mohawk has proven to provide adequate coverage.  They have only covered for dropped calls.  What is the percentage of dropped calls versus total calls?  In reality, they have only covered a percentage of all town calls.  

Now we are tying paramedics to transport.  Meaning that a paramedic will be on a BLS call, while a simultaneous call may come in for ALS service.  Currently, our paramedics are not tied to the transport vehicle, and could treat the sick or injured while waiting for transport.

I can't see how the service levels will improve by eliminating paramedics.

Quoted from gadfly

.

The paramedics have always been tied to transport.....the transporter is the only one who can legally bill for paramedic service.....and if the transporter does
not provide the ALS service, the funds collected must be turned over to the owner....in this case the Town.....which it has never been by REMS.

Paramedics are not being eliminated....they will continue to be provided...in fact the full time Town paramedics have been offered employment with Mohawk.
that aid has come almost exclusively from Mohawk.

Quoted from Patches

BE real......saving lives....that's more important than all the $$$ in the world....

that's all is said....$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$...

and so far as I am concerned .......wait time is a false projection.....

better for the residents ??????????   REMS you betcha........also adds jobs....not take away and give to those who in with the "in" crowd...

so all your warbling can't make many of us change our minds.....all of a sudden the critics come out of the closet....AND ...all the talk just goes on and on.

Quoted from CICERO

I meant physically tied to transport.  Paramedics had their own vehicle.  So if a call comes in for BLS, they were not dispatched.  They were still available for ALS calls.  Now they will be arriving at all calls, even if not needed.  Tying up a paramedic unnecessarily.  I don't see how mathematically service increases with this restructuring.  This was purely financial, which I'm fine with, if the residents benefited financially, not the "friends and family" club.  Which is the real reason behind this move.

Quoted from gadfly

As I said, the Town needed to finance retirees and, sadly, raises for friends and family members....some being pretty substantial.....especially Mike Viscusi's
daughter....for a previously non-existent position....thus the "need" to eliminate a program that was costing the Town around a half million $ per year.

Quoted from Patches

BT agree.....if you want REMS....then ask for it...according to Ch 10 news last nite......

Mohawk will be dispatched if not requested.......and wasn't their ambulance wars years ago in the city???.....

but for the sake of our residents.....yes underhanded and not necessarily in our best interest....

Quoted Text

Article 30 Section 3003 of Public Health Law states:

§ 5. The REMSCO shall have the responsibility to make determinations of public need for the establishment of additional emergency medical services and ambulance services and to make the determinations of public need as provided in section three thousand eight.

Article 30 Section 3005 of Public Health Law states:

§ 5. No initial certificate (except initial certificates issued pursuant to subdivision two of this section) shall be issued unless the commissioner finds that the proposed operator or operators are competent and fit to operate the service and that the ambulance service or advanced life support first response service is staffed and equipped in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article.

§ 6. No ambulance service or advanced life support first response service shall begin operation without prior approval of the appropriate REMSCO, or if there is no appropriate REMSCO established such ambulance service or advanced life support first response service shall apply for approval from the state council as to the public need for the establishment of additional ambulance service or advanced life support first response service, pursuant to section three thousand eight of this article.

Article 30 Section 3008 of Public Health Law states:

§ 1. Every application for a determination of public need shall be made in writing to the appropriate REMSCO, shall specify the primary territory within which the applicant requests to operate, be verified under oath, and shall be in such form and contain such information as required by the rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this article.

§ 2. Notice of the application shall be forwarded by registered or certified mail by the appropriate REMSCO to the chief executive officers of all general hospitals, ambulance services, and municipalities operating within the same county or counties where the service seeks to operate. The notice shall provide opportunity for comment.

§ 3. Notice pursuant to this section shall be deemed filed with the ambulance service and municipality upon being mailed by the appropriate regional or state council by registered or certified mail.

§ 4. The appropriate REMSCO or the state council shall make its determination of public need within sixty days after receipt of the application.

§ 5. The applicant or any concerned party may appeal the determination of the appropriate REMSCO to the state council within thirty days after the REMSCO makes its determination.