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Regional fire/EMS the answer?
By Hillary Gavan
Daily News staff writer
Some area providers express desire to talk as call volume mounts
“It would be tough to walk out of here, but I'd do it if it was better for everyone.”
That's what Clinton Fire Chief and EMS Coordinator John Rindfleisch said about considering a regional fire department in light of an over-stretched department. He doesn't mind if some rural firefighters would be forced into an early retirement or if a Clinton engine had to move to another site. To Rindfleisch, it isn't about him or the individual departments.
“This isn't our equipment, it belongs to community. It serves the patients,” Rindfleisch said.
Rindfleisch fears longer response times are inevitable, and worries about long-term problems with the rural emergency medical system. A regional approach might improve conditions, he suggests.
“If more people don't volunteer, regionalism or some type of county-based system may be key,” Rindfleisch said.
One way to reorganize would be regionalism based on which communities are closest to each other. In the case of Clinton, it might be with Sharon and Darien. The communities already have joint agreements in place to help each other with calls.
There are areas that are 2.5 miles from Sharon, but under Clinton's jurisdiction. It could make more sense to redo the boundaries.
Another option, Rindfleisch said, would be having each county take over all of the rural fire departments and put stations in strategic locations. In that case Clinton would be part of the Rock County Fire Department. New arrangements would have to be made with Darien and Sharon, both in Walworth County.
Rindfleisch looks favorably at a regional solution, citing the 911 Communications Center as an example of successful regionalization.
“In the past, calls went out to individual communities and were answered and dispatched in those communities. Every community had its own dispatcher manning the phone lines,” Rindfleisch said. “The regional concept puts everything together in one dispatch center. It's a prime example of when heads are put together, regionalism works.”
Another possibility is the hospital model, Rindfleisch said, explaining that volunteer first responders would respond to residents with basic equipment and stabilize patients. The ambulances, however, would be parked at the hospital and manned with hospital personnel. Rindfleisch said that emergency room technicians could make efficient use of their time, splitting their time between working at the hospital and going out on calls.
“It's probably the most realistic concept for around here,” Rindfleisch said.
Because hospitals have more funding and medical resources than small rural communities, Rindfleisch said it might be a good idea.
“Maybe the hospitals could step up to help us out in this attempt to provide ambulance services,” Rindfleisch said.
Sharon Fire Chief Mark Ruosch said he is always open for discussion, and noted talks are under way about combining Fontana and Walworth departments.
“I'm not sure which community we would merge with. We could have some first responders and have a transport vehicle from Walworth,” Ruosch said.
Turtle Township Fire Chief Tim Huffman said he is always open to talking about a regional EMS system, although he hopes the fire department will remain under the control of Turtle.
“We don't have a problem with regional EMS as long as we can keep the same level of care,” Huffman said.
Turtle may have already ventured into regionalism on a very small scale. Huffman explained how Turtle has an agreement with the City of Beloit. Turtle provides the first responders to stabilize patients until Beloit's paramedics can come to transport them to the hospital.
The arrangement allows Turtle's volunteer first responders to help out while getting top notch paramedic service from Beloit.
“I'm very happy with the way it is right now,” Huffman said.
Huffman said Turtle is doing pretty well, not seeing as much call misuse as Beloit.
With 12 first responders and a total of 26 people on the whole department, the budget is low for Turtle. Huffman said there were only 91 calls for EMS last year.
Huffman doesn't want to see the Turtle Fire Department going regional. Turtle has a different system than Beloit, fighting fires with tankers, not fire hydrants.
Huffman said Turtle's level of fire service is relatively inexpensive.
“Our entire department's budget is less than what one fireman makes a year,” Huffman said.
Turtle holds a lot of fundraisers to purchase equipment. Huffman said the community takes ownership and pride in what they've created in their fire department and sees no reason to change.
“We just put on an addition and we did it ourselves. Everything we do, we volunteer our time to build it. There's a little pride in there,” Huffman said.
The Beloit Daily News contacted Town of Beloit Fire Chief Dennis Ahrens, who declined to comment on the issue of regionalism, saying he would need more specific statistics about how it would impact costs and quality of care.
The city of Beloit, on numerous occasions in the past, has expressed its willingness to discuss a regional approach with other departments in the area.
“It would be tough to walk out of here, but I'd do it if it was better for everyone.”
That's what Clinton Fire Chief and EMS Coordinator John Rindfleisch said about considering a regional fire department in light of an over-stretched department. He doesn't mind if some rural firefighters would be forced into an early retirement or if a Clinton engine had to move to another site. To Rindfleisch, it isn't about him or the individual departments.
“This isn't our equipment, it belongs to community. It serves the patients,” Rindfleisch said.
Rindfleisch fears longer response times are inevitable, and worries about long-term problems with the rural emergency medical system. A regional approach might improve conditions, he suggests.
“If more people don't volunteer, regionalism or some type of county-based system may be key,” Rindfleisch said.
One way to reorganize would be regionalism based on which communities are closest to each other. In the case of Clinton, it might be with Sharon and Darien. The communities already have joint agreements in place to help each other with calls.
There are areas that are 2.5 miles from Sharon, but under Clinton's jurisdiction. It could make more sense to redo the boundaries.
Another option, Rindfleisch said, would be having each county take over all of the rural fire departments and put stations in strategic locations. In that case Clinton would be part of the Rock County Fire Department. New arrangements would have to be made with Darien and Sharon, both in Walworth County.
Rindfleisch looks favorably at a regional solution, citing the 911 Communications Center as an example of successful regionalization.
“In the past, calls went out to individual communities and were answered and dispatched in those communities. Every community had its own dispatcher manning the phone lines,” Rindfleisch said. “The regional concept puts everything together in one dispatch center. It's a prime example of when heads are put together, regionalism works.”
Another possibility is the hospital model, Rindfleisch said, explaining that volunteer first responders would respond to residents with basic equipment and stabilize patients. The ambulances, however, would be parked at the hospital and manned with hospital personnel. Rindfleisch said that emergency room technicians could make efficient use of their time, splitting their time between working at the hospital and going out on calls.
“It's probably the most realistic concept for around here,” Rindfleisch said.
Because hospitals have more funding and medical resources than small rural communities, Rindfleisch said it might be a good idea.
“Maybe the hospitals could step up to help us out in this attempt to provide ambulance services,” Rindfleisch said.
Sharon Fire Chief Mark Ruosch said he is always open for discussion, and noted talks are under way about combining Fontana and Walworth departments.
“I'm not sure which community we would merge with. We could have some first responders and have a transport vehicle from Walworth,” Ruosch said.
Turtle Township Fire Chief Tim Huffman said he is always open to talking about a regional EMS system, although he hopes the fire department will remain under the control of Turtle.
“We don't have a problem with regional EMS as long as we can keep the same level of care,” Huffman said.
Turtle may have already ventured into regionalism on a very small scale. Huffman explained how Turtle has an agreement with the City of Beloit. Turtle provides the first responders to stabilize patients until Beloit's paramedics can come to transport them to the hospital.
The arrangement allows Turtle's volunteer first responders to help out while getting top notch paramedic service from Beloit.
“I'm very happy with the way it is right now,” Huffman said.
Huffman said Turtle is doing pretty well, not seeing as much call misuse as Beloit.
With 12 first responders and a total of 26 people on the whole department, the budget is low for Turtle. Huffman said there were only 91 calls for EMS last year.
Huffman doesn't want to see the Turtle Fire Department going regional. Turtle has a different system than Beloit, fighting fires with tankers, not fire hydrants.
Huffman said Turtle's level of fire service is relatively inexpensive.
“Our entire department's budget is less than what one fireman makes a year,” Huffman said.
Turtle holds a lot of fundraisers to purchase equipment. Huffman said the community takes ownership and pride in what they've created in their fire department and sees no reason to change.
“We just put on an addition and we did it ourselves. Everything we do, we volunteer our time to build it. There's a little pride in there,” Huffman said.
The Beloit Daily News contacted Town of Beloit Fire Chief Dennis Ahrens, who declined to comment on the issue of regionalism, saying he would need more specific statistics about how it would impact costs and quality of care.
The city of Beloit, on numerous occasions in the past, has expressed its willingness to discuss a regional approach with other departments in the area.
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