Lakewood Squad Dispatched from Metro Back to Lakewood

[Lori Allen _]

These photographcs were taken on 10.05.16 at 2:05 and 3:02 P.M., respectively.

At 2:05 P.M., you can see Lakewood Squad #3 driving south of W. 117th, just passing Berea Rd. Thw squad continued to weave through traffic on the always-busy W. 117th before getting on I-90 east (presumably to go to Metro).

At 3:02 P.M., about an hour later, you can see the same squad, squad #3 coming west on Triskett near W. 121st St, with its lights and sirens going.

117th Berea.jpg (41.45 KiB) Viewed 2529 times

Triskett W 120.jpg (106.8 KiB) Viewed 2529 times

There you have it, folks. It appears that squad #3 was dispatched right from Metro back to Lakewood for another emergency call, and the mobile stroke unit is supposed to be a life-saver?

I'm sure everyone remembers the video that two Lakewood paramedics made a few months ago where they stated that the proposed plan was dangerous. I then recall Fire Chief Scott Gilman blasting the paramedics for being "inexperienced". Of course, this was before it was discovered that Mr. Gilman has apparently been supervising paramedics and EMS transportation for nine years without a paramedic license, as well as giving information to the public about EMS transportation and procedures without a paramedic license. Who would you trust?

When you see this, it really puts into perspective how much time can matter, in many cases.

[Lori Allen _]

So I wonder how far out the squad still was at W. 121st and Triskett from their destination.

Time for a reality check.

[Meg Ostrowski]

We had an incident in our neighborhood a few weeks ago. EMS was needed but last to arrive, after police and animal control.

Given the close proximity to the fire station (just around the corner) everyone was asking, “where is EMS?” They are usually first to arrive around here. Soon enough they were on the scene doing an exemplary job. Even this relatively short delay left neighbors discussing how EMS time spent running to hospitals outside of Lakewood may cause an increase in response time on busy days.

Despite advances in mobile medical technology, I’d rather have a hospital in Lakewood. But without one, will we need more EMS units in Lakewood? If so, how will they be paid for? At one time, I was told EMS is supported by the city’s “hospital fund” which I would assume now, like the hospital, no longer exists. Should we expect a tax increase in the near future?

[mjkuhns]

Well, let's return to what Fire Chief Frank Risko said after the Cleveland Clinic downgraded care in Sagamore Hills…
http://the-news-leader.com/news%20local ... ty-opening

He said the change will cost the department an unknown amount of money, as ambulance crews will have to drive farther and the district will have to adjust to having firefighters away from the district for longer periods of time.

"The manpower is going to be the main thing," Risko said. "It's going to take added time to take our patients to hospitals that are further away."

He said the department has not had a chance to determine how the change would affect patient care.

"They're in for a longer ride and that's something that has got to be looked at very closely," he said. "It's going to delay the time for treatment. To what extent, we don't know. We're not looking at it as a favorable thing right now."

Note that the Cleveland Clinic disagreed, and said that the downgrade of Sagamore Hills would better serve the community.

And how about Northfield Center Trustee Paul Buescher?
http://the-news-leader.com/news%20local ... om-closure

…Buescher said the change is sudden, and leaves the fire department with an urgent need to expand staffing due to longer transport times.

"It's leaving us high and dry, and it all comes down to money," Buescher said. "It's going to cost us $109,000 off the bat just for personnel."

Doesn't sound promising, especially since Issue 64 leaves us vulnerable to a further downgrade (ER to express care, i.e. exactly what happened in Sagamore Hills).

[Kate McCarthy]

Despite advances in mobile medical technology, I’d rather have a hospital in Lakewood. But without one, will we need more EMS units in Lakewood? If so, how will they be paid for? At one time, I was told EMS is supported by the city’s “hospital fund” which I would assume now, like the hospital, no longer exists. Should we expect a tax increase in the near future?

Meg,

According to Jenn Pae, you are correct regarding how the city's EMS program is funded.

ems funding.JPG (34.84 KiB) Viewed 2305 times

My guess is a tax increase, the privatization of EMS services, or both.

[Lori Allen _]

Don't forget that our EMS Department has been under the supervision of Chief Gilman. The man with the expired Paramedic license according to the State of Ohio. ( Expired nine years ago! )

According to the State of Ohio, Gilman must take the entire paramedic program over again prior to being able to supervise the paramedics legally.

So, what does that say about all the information he has been giving out over the past two years about the hospital and our paramedics? Hmmmmm.

[cmager]

There's your headline:

"Lakewood Insider Finance Director in Favor of Losing Funding for EMS Services - Seems Unconcerned"

[Lori Allen _]

The money cannot be replaced. They will have to come to the tax payers for money, AKA, a tax increase. The only ones making any money off this deal is Summers and Extended Company. Like I said before, the hospital money is currently at the laundry!