Excerpts from pjstar.com:
A long-dormant conflict between Advanced Medical Transport Inc. (AMT) of Central Illinois and the Peoria Fire Department is showing signs of reigniting.
Several years ago, the two organizations were at odds over who would provide paramedic services and patient transport within the city. AMT eventually reached an agreement with the city to handle exclusive patient transport in exchange for an annual payment of $85,000, adjusted for inflation. That deal was later updated in 2009, allowing the fire department to operate three advanced life support (ALS) engines.
Now, the fire department is seeking a fourth ALS engine for House 19, located on the northwestern edge of the city near the new Louisville Slugger complex and The Shoppes at Grand Prairie. While the cost is estimated at around $5,000, some locals argue that the current level of service is sufficient.
Peoria Fire Chief Charles Lauss and Rick Waldron, president of the Peoria Firefighters Union Local 50, both insist this isn’t about replacing AMT. “We have an agreement in place,†Lauss said. “We can’t get into transport without giving AMT five years’ notice. Our goal is to enhance our services and better serve the community.â€
Currently, Peoria firefighters are trained in basic life support, while only three paramedics assigned to ALS engines and AMT are at the advanced level. Both the union and the chief believe adding a fourth ALS engine will improve emergency response and strengthen their relationship with AMT.
“It’s about getting there first or having AMT arrive first,†Waldron, a firefighter-paramedic, explained. “As long as a medic is on scene, that’s what matters.â€
However, AMT, a not-for-profit organization that has provided ambulance services in the area for decades, disagrees. They argue that having too many paramedics could actually hurt service quality due to a lack of consistent demand.
“Doing the best for the community means doing the right things, not everything,†said Andrew Rand, AMT’s executive director.
He pointed to two letters from Dr. Matthew Jackson, head of the Peoria Area Emergency Medical Services system, which warned about the risks of paramedic saturation. In one letter last year, Dr. Jackson noted that Peoria has approximately 6.4 paramedics per 10,000 residents — significantly higher than most U.S. cities. He warned that increased saturation could lead to worse patient outcomes, especially in critical cases like cardiac arrest, due to skill degradation.
Chief Lauss, however, stands by his team. “Our paramedics receive all the required training hours and real-world exposure,†he said. “Many of them even work with other agencies on their off days to keep their skills sharp.â€
The proposal is currently under review by the PAEMS director, and the City Council is expected to consider it in a future meeting.
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