http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708 Some little known information (from my point of view) about EMS (Emergency Medical Services) in Kern County: Some of the Kern County firefighters as well as those working for the City of Bakersfield are Certified Emergency Paramedics.&nbsp; However, when they respond to a medical aid call, they are restricted from performing their duties as a Paramedic--they are only allowed to perform as an EMT, which is basically administering first aid&nbsp; and using the automatic defibrillation units that anyone with a current CPR card is trained to use.&nbsp; Their paramedic skills, including starting an IV and administering life saving fluids and drugs, are unable to be used. Why , you ask? Well, that is because Hall has the contract to provide ambulance service in this county&nbsp; and is not allowing anyone other than his paramedics to provide advanced life support services.&nbsp; So, the firefighter/paramedics that respond and arrive first on the scene of a medical aid have to wait until the Hall paramedics get there. Why is he doing this?&nbsp; The only reason I can think of is perhaps he is afraid someone else is going to get a piece of his pie.&nbsp; He may be afraid that if&nbsp; Kern County trains firefighters to be paramedics or allows the firefighters that are currently paramedics to use their skills, that they may eventually want to put ambulances at their fire stations, putting his sweet little monopoly to an end.&nbsp; Now that the problem has been identified... What is the solution? Kern County firefighters need to be able to function as paramedics. In most California counties and cities, firefighters are paramedics also. They already respond to all medical aid calls, so providing advance life support services could easily be implemented.&nbsp; That way, the Kern County firefighter/paramedic could immediatley begin to provide the advanced life support care that the people of Tehachapi and especially the outlying areas, need.&nbsp; Once Hall's ambulance arrived on the scene, report can be given, both the Kern County firefighter/paramedic and Hall's paramedic can work together to stabilize the patient.&nbsp;&nbsp; Once stabilized, care is transferred to Hall's paramedic and the patient is transported to the hospital by Hall's ambulance.&nbsp; This frees the Kern County firefighter/paramedic to return to his fire station, and keeps the level of EMS/fire supression at the level it has always been. Why isn't this being done? Well, do you think the City of Bakersfield, with Hall as their MAYOR, are going to complain?&nbsp; Who would they complain to?&nbsp; The MAYOR, WHO ALSO OWNS THE AMBULANCE COMPANY?&nbsp; Do you really think the Kern County Board of Supervisors are going to rock the boat and go up against Mayor Hall?&nbsp; It would probably be the end of their political careers. What are some other considerations? Well, training a firefighter to be a paramedic can be costly to the county.&nbsp; It takes that firefighter out of service while he attends the 6 mth paramedic program.&nbsp; It would be a huge expense covering his shifts and paying for the program.&nbsp; To minimize the financial impact, some cities/counties are now requiring&nbsp; that any new firefighter recruit hired must have already have completed paramedic training as well as the required Fire Science degree.&nbsp; But if the firefighter/paramedic training had been implemented years ago as it should have been, the impact would have been spread over a period of time.&nbsp; However, it is not too late to begin to provide the same level of service that most Californians, even those residing in rural areas, receive every day. Some little known information (from my point of view) about EMS (Emergency Medical Services) in Kern County: Some of the Kern County firefighters as well as those working for the City of Bakersfield are Certified Emergency Paramedics.&nbsp; However, when they respond to a medical aid call, they are restricted from performing their duties as a Paramedic--they are only allowed to perform as an EMT, which is basically administering first aid&nbsp; and using the automatic defibrillation units that anyone with a current CPR card is trained to use.&nbsp; Their paramedic skills, including starting an IV and administering life saving fluids and drugs, are unable to be used. Why , you ask? Well, that is because Hall has the contract to provide ambulance service in this county&nbsp; and is not allowing anyone other than his paramedics to provide advanced life support services.&nbsp; So, the firefighter/paramedics that respond and arrive first on the scene of a medical aid have to wait until the Hall paramedics get there. Why is he doing this?&nbsp; The only reason I can think of is perhaps he is afraid someone else is going to get a piece of his pie.&nbsp; He may be afraid that if&nbsp; Kern County trains firefighters to be paramedics or allows the firefighters that are currently paramedics to use their skills, that they may eventually want to put ambulances at their fire stations, putting his sweet little monopoly to an end.&nbsp; Now that the problem has been identified... What is the solution? Kern County firefighters need to be able to function as paramedics. In most California counties and cities, firefighters are paramedics also. They already respond to all medical aid calls, so providing advance life support services could easily be implemented.&nbsp; That way, the Kern County firefighter/paramedic could immediatley begin to provide the advanced life support care that the people of Tehachapi and especially the outlying areas, need.&nbsp; Once Hall's ambulance arrived on the scene, report can be given, both the Kern County firefighter/paramedic and Hall's paramedic can work together to stabilize the patient.&nbsp;&nbsp; Once stabilized, care is transferred to Hall's paramedic and the patient is transported to the hospital by Hall's ambulance.&nbsp; This frees the Kern County firefighter/paramedic to return to his fire station, and keeps the level of EMS/fire supression at the level it has always been. Why isn't this being done? Well, do you think the City of Bakersfield, with Hall as their MAYOR, are going to complain?&nbsp; Who would they complain to?&nbsp; The MAYOR, WHO ALSO OWNS THE AMBULANCE COMPANY?&nbsp; Do you really think the Kern County Board of Supervisors are going to rock the boat and go up against Mayor Hall?&nbsp; It would probably be the end of their political careers. What are some other considerations? Well, training a firefighter to be a paramedic can be costly to the county.&nbsp; It takes that firefighter out of service while he attends the 6 mth paramedic program.&nbsp; It would be a huge expense covering his shifts and paying for the program.&nbsp; To minimize the financial impact, some cities/counties are now requiring&nbsp; that any new firefighter recruit hired must have already have completed paramedic training as well as the required Fire Science degree.&nbsp; But if the firefighter/paramedic training had been implemented years ago as it should have been, the impact would have been spread over a period of time.&nbsp; However, it is not too late to begin to provide the same level of service that most Californians, even those residing in rural areas, receive every day. en-us How are the KCFD and BCFD maintaining their paramedic qualifications if they cannot perform paramedic duties?  I sure there has to be some sort of CEU's or hands on training that should be signed by a qualified person.  http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131733 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131733 How are the KCFD and BCFD maintaining their paramedic qualifications if they cannot perform paramedic duties?  I sure there has to be some sort of CEU's or hands on training that should be signed by a qualified person.  <p>Amish level!&nbsp;&nbsp; That's stretching it a bit, even for you.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131749 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131749 <p>Amish level!&nbsp;&nbsp; That's stretching it a bit, even for you.</p> Some of them work for Hall's on their days off, others chose to go to other ambulance companies in surrounding counties to get their requires hours and CEU's.<br /> Yes....Amish level is somewhat of a tall tale..but it got your attention and made you think....;) http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131756 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131756 Some of them work for Hall's on their days off, others chose to go to other ambulance companies in surrounding counties to get their requires hours and CEU's.<br /> Yes....Amish level is somewhat of a tall tale..but it got your attention and made you think....;) This seems a dangerous way to practice.&nbsp; I can't help but think this would be a major lawsuit waiting to happen.&nbsp; If I put in an emergency call and someone died or was seriously debilitated because the paramedics that arrived on the scene could not perform their duties due to &quot;contractual obligations&quot; with Hall ambulance there would be lawyers crawling all over this place.&nbsp; I mean, really, who in their right mind would even consider not administering the proper treatment to save someone's life because of a piece of paper?&nbsp; How could Hall possibly enforce something like this?&nbsp; This doesn't ring true to me.&nbsp; If someone would rather keep their job than save the life of the person they are supposed to be helping then they are in the wrong career and I certainly would not want them treating me or mine. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131954 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_131954 This seems a dangerous way to practice.&nbsp; I can't help but think this would be a major lawsuit waiting to happen.&nbsp; If I put in an emergency call and someone died or was seriously debilitated because the paramedics that arrived on the scene could not perform their duties due to &quot;contractual obligations&quot; with Hall ambulance there would be lawyers crawling all over this place.&nbsp; I mean, really, who in their right mind would even consider not administering the proper treatment to save someone's life because of a piece of paper?&nbsp; How could Hall possibly enforce something like this?&nbsp; This doesn't ring true to me.&nbsp; If someone would rather keep their job than save the life of the person they are supposed to be helping then they are in the wrong career and I certainly would not want them treating me or mine. Firefighters who are also paramedics are unable to &quot;administer the proper treatment to save someone's life&quot; because they are not allowed to carry drug boxes and IV's needed to provide Advanced Life Support.&nbsp; Call Kern County Fire and ask they how many of their firefighters are also paramedics--I don't know either, but I do know there are some.&nbsp; Kern County Fire may not know either since they don't employ them as paramedics.&nbsp;&nbsp; Almost every other county in California employs their firefighter as paramedics --except Kern.&nbsp; If the county used their firefighters as paramedics also, Advance Life Support could be started immeditaly, instead of waiting for Hall's ambulance with paramedics to arrive.&nbsp; This would save lives--especially in the outlying communites such as Stallion Springs and Bear Valley which have full time firefighters.&nbsp; Almost 2/3 of fire department calls are for medical aid, and it is time for them to be able to provide paramedic coverage also.&nbsp; I'm not against Hall's--they provide a much needed service and all my interactions with them prove they run top notch crews.&nbsp;&nbsp; But with the population growth in this area, it's time to start providing the same level of service that the rest of the state, even rural area have. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132120 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132120 Firefighters who are also paramedics are unable to &quot;administer the proper treatment to save someone's life&quot; because they are not allowed to carry drug boxes and IV's needed to provide Advanced Life Support.&nbsp; Call Kern County Fire and ask they how many of their firefighters are also paramedics--I don't know either, but I do know there are some.&nbsp; Kern County Fire may not know either since they don't employ them as paramedics.&nbsp;&nbsp; Almost every other county in California employs their firefighter as paramedics --except Kern.&nbsp; If the county used their firefighters as paramedics also, Advance Life Support could be started immeditaly, instead of waiting for Hall's ambulance with paramedics to arrive.&nbsp; This would save lives--especially in the outlying communites such as Stallion Springs and Bear Valley which have full time firefighters.&nbsp; Almost 2/3 of fire department calls are for medical aid, and it is time for them to be able to provide paramedic coverage also.&nbsp; I'm not against Hall's--they provide a much needed service and all my interactions with them prove they run top notch crews.&nbsp;&nbsp; But with the population growth in this area, it's time to start providing the same level of service that the rest of the state, even rural area have. <p>I worked as&nbsp;a EMT for WESTAR before HALLS took over out in the Mojave area. WESTAR also ran basic life support ambulances, with two EMT'S. A paramedic can not hand off a patient to a EMT he must hand the patient off to another paramedic. the problem is with kern county and&nbsp;EMS. Kern county needs to run all advanced life support units with paramedics. How would you like to be having chest pains out in bear valley, firemen there&nbsp;within minutes only to wait 15 to 25 minutes more only to have a BLS unit with two emts arrive on scene. I wouldn't.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132184 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132184 <p>I worked as&nbsp;a EMT for WESTAR before HALLS took over out in the Mojave area. WESTAR also ran basic life support ambulances, with two EMT'S. A paramedic can not hand off a patient to a EMT he must hand the patient off to another paramedic. the problem is with kern county and&nbsp;EMS. Kern county needs to run all advanced life support units with paramedics. How would you like to be having chest pains out in bear valley, firemen there&nbsp;within minutes only to wait 15 to 25 minutes more only to have a BLS unit with two emts arrive on scene. I wouldn't.</p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="4">Can we&nbsp;attach this firefighter vs. paramedic information to our recently disbanded Tehachapi Fire Department?&nbsp; I think previously blogs have done so.</font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="4">Are these decisions being made for reasons of profit?</font></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132224 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132224 <p><font face="Verdana" size="4">Can we&nbsp;attach this firefighter vs. paramedic information to our recently disbanded Tehachapi Fire Department?&nbsp; I think previously blogs have done so.</font></p> <p><font face="Verdana" size="4">Are these decisions being made for reasons of profit?</font></p> Big Dog--this info took even me by surprise!&nbsp; I assumed (and you know what happens when people assume) that with the population of Tehachapi and the outlying areas, that Hall's ran only paramedic with an emt ambulance.&nbsp;&nbsp; Imagine having chest pain or being in a serious car accident out in Stallion Spring/BearValley/Alpine/Mojave and just receiving first aid as medical care because that is all the Hall's emt's can do!!!???I realize that a paramedic cannot hand over a pt to an emt, but I thought all of Hall's ambulances had one paramedic aboard.&nbsp; The level of care and service provided by Hall's is worse than I thought.&nbsp; Hall's need to run a paramedic with every ambulance as a minimum standard of care.&nbsp; Allowing the Kern County firefighters to work as paramedics would greatly increase the number of lives saved.<br /> &nbsp;As you said, waiting for an ambulance for 15 to 25 mins to respond to an outlying area, add in a 5-10 min scene time to reassess and load the patient and another 15 min-20 min back into town--and thats Code 3 --that's a total of a minimum of 40 min. (on a good day). You can drive someone to the hospital in half that time.&nbsp; I would never encourage this, but it sure may make you think twice about calling 911. However, if Kern County had firefighter/paramedics, advanced life support could be started immediately. Kern County and the residents of this area, need to demand paramedic service on Hall's ambulances as a minimum standard of care.<br /> Does Hall's run emt only ambulances in Bakersfield? Or are all of their unit paramedic in Bakersfield?? I can't imagine the City of Bakersfield not being able to use their firefighters as paramedics, then to have emt's respond on the ambulance.&nbsp; Or is Tehachapi being treated differently than Bakersfield?<br /> Yes, this blog can be moved to another area..but I' new at htis and don't know how to do that.... http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132324 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132324 Big Dog--this info took even me by surprise!&nbsp; I assumed (and you know what happens when people assume) that with the population of Tehachapi and the outlying areas, that Hall's ran only paramedic with an emt ambulance.&nbsp;&nbsp; Imagine having chest pain or being in a serious car accident out in Stallion Spring/BearValley/Alpine/Mojave and just receiving first aid as medical care because that is all the Hall's emt's can do!!!???I realize that a paramedic cannot hand over a pt to an emt, but I thought all of Hall's ambulances had one paramedic aboard.&nbsp; The level of care and service provided by Hall's is worse than I thought.&nbsp; Hall's need to run a paramedic with every ambulance as a minimum standard of care.&nbsp; Allowing the Kern County firefighters to work as paramedics would greatly increase the number of lives saved.<br /> &nbsp;As you said, waiting for an ambulance for 15 to 25 mins to respond to an outlying area, add in a 5-10 min scene time to reassess and load the patient and another 15 min-20 min back into town--and thats Code 3 --that's a total of a minimum of 40 min. (on a good day). You can drive someone to the hospital in half that time.&nbsp; I would never encourage this, but it sure may make you think twice about calling 911. However, if Kern County had firefighter/paramedics, advanced life support could be started immediately. Kern County and the residents of this area, need to demand paramedic service on Hall's ambulances as a minimum standard of care.<br /> Does Hall's run emt only ambulances in Bakersfield? Or are all of their unit paramedic in Bakersfield?? I can't imagine the City of Bakersfield not being able to use their firefighters as paramedics, then to have emt's respond on the ambulance.&nbsp; Or is Tehachapi being treated differently than Bakersfield?<br /> Yes, this blog can be moved to another area..but I' new at htis and don't know how to do that.... <p>I'm not sure if HALL has a paramedic on every ambulance now. But&nbsp;I know they used to run ALS ambulance with a BLS back up ambulance in tehachapi.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132329 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132329 <p>I'm not sure if HALL has a paramedic on every ambulance now. But&nbsp;I know they used to run ALS ambulance with a BLS back up ambulance in tehachapi.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> There is ALS ONLY in Tehachapi. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132416 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132416 There is ALS ONLY in Tehachapi. tehachapi dad--Is the backup ambulance ALS?&nbsp; How often is it used?&nbsp; Glad to hear&nbsp; Hall's runs ALS in Tehachachapi--my heart palpitations have diminished.... http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132460 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132460 tehachapi dad--Is the backup ambulance ALS?&nbsp; How often is it used?&nbsp; Glad to hear&nbsp; Hall's runs ALS in Tehachachapi--my heart palpitations have diminished.... Yes the 12 hour car is ALS and so are the backups from all of East Kern including Mojave,&nbsp; &amp; Cal City. The only exception to the ALS vs BLS is sometimes standbys at the Rodeo and other standbys are BLS (Dual EMT's)because that is what they ask for. Not always but sometimes. Hall does run BLS&nbsp;<u>&quot;TRANSFER&quot;</u> units in Bakersfield as well. Glad to hear your heart is beating more normal!!!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132663 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_132663 Yes the 12 hour car is ALS and so are the backups from all of East Kern including Mojave,&nbsp; &amp; Cal City. The only exception to the ALS vs BLS is sometimes standbys at the Rodeo and other standbys are BLS (Dual EMT's)because that is what they ask for. Not always but sometimes. Hall does run BLS&nbsp;<u>&quot;TRANSFER&quot;</u> units in Bakersfield as well. Glad to hear your heart is beating more normal!!!! Hello one and all,<br /> <br /> Where have you all been over the past couple years.  The residence of Pine Mountain have been addressing this same issue for the last couple of years asking and going before the BOS to start a firefighter/paramedic pilot program for all the small mtn communities and cities like yourselves.  Right now there are "20" kern county firefighters enrolled in paramedic school.  Although Chief Thompson states it will take 3 years to start a program, it would not take that much time to put paramedic assessment engines into service.  On another note, halls has stop responding his ALS unit out of Frazier Park into LA County and has stationed a BLS unit with the ALS in Frazier to handle all calls in LA County and Ventura (Hungry Valley Area).  This was implemented about a week ago.  I heard that Tehachachai is suppose to be getting an BLS unit as well per the Halls guys I spoke with from Frazier Park.  So you guys will have 2 ALS units and 1 BLS unit.  The reason for the change is because Harvey want to make sure he can respond to all this ALS calls in a timely manner due to the new ambulance ord. just passed.  Everyone needs to keep the pressure on so Kern can have Firefighter Paramedics sooner that the 3 year time frame that the Chief informed the BOS of in early August. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_134202 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_134202 Hello one and all,<br /> <br /> Where have you all been over the past couple years.  The residence of Pine Mountain have been addressing this same issue for the last couple of years asking and going before the BOS to start a firefighter/paramedic pilot program for all the small mtn communities and cities like yourselves.  Right now there are "20" kern county firefighters enrolled in paramedic school.  Although Chief Thompson states it will take 3 years to start a program, it would not take that much time to put paramedic assessment engines into service.  On another note, halls has stop responding his ALS unit out of Frazier Park into LA County and has stationed a BLS unit with the ALS in Frazier to handle all calls in LA County and Ventura (Hungry Valley Area).  This was implemented about a week ago.  I heard that Tehachachai is suppose to be getting an BLS unit as well per the Halls guys I spoke with from Frazier Park.  So you guys will have 2 ALS units and 1 BLS unit.  The reason for the change is because Harvey want to make sure he can respond to all this ALS calls in a timely manner due to the new ambulance ord. just passed.  Everyone needs to keep the pressure on so Kern can have Firefighter Paramedics sooner that the 3 year time frame that the Chief informed the BOS of in early August. Great news FireMedic!&nbsp; Now for a few questions...you said &quot;20 are enrolled in paramedic school&quot; does this mean 20 showed interest or are actually attending classes now?&nbsp; If so, they should be graduated and passed boards by this time next year.&nbsp; Are they going to man stations according to need?&nbsp;&nbsp; Or do we have to wait until firefighters from those stations are medics?&nbsp; Preference for classes should be given to firefighters in outlying areas...Frazier Park, Stallion Springs, Bear Valley and Mojave.&nbsp; What about the Kern County Firefighters that are medics now-when will the engines be medic ready?<br /> In regards to the 2nd ambulance in Tehachapi-It's been since APRIL 2007 since Halls announced they were going to put in a 2nd ambulance in Golden Hills,&nbsp; but where is it? Has any progress been made? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_134435 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_134435 Great news FireMedic!&nbsp; Now for a few questions...you said &quot;20 are enrolled in paramedic school&quot; does this mean 20 showed interest or are actually attending classes now?&nbsp; If so, they should be graduated and passed boards by this time next year.&nbsp; Are they going to man stations according to need?&nbsp;&nbsp; Or do we have to wait until firefighters from those stations are medics?&nbsp; Preference for classes should be given to firefighters in outlying areas...Frazier Park, Stallion Springs, Bear Valley and Mojave.&nbsp; What about the Kern County Firefighters that are medics now-when will the engines be medic ready?<br /> In regards to the 2nd ambulance in Tehachapi-It's been since APRIL 2007 since Halls announced they were going to put in a 2nd ambulance in Golden Hills,&nbsp; but where is it? Has any progress been made? Yes, I got suckered by Hall. That never happens!!!! LOL. Thats the last time I trust my sources. They now have a BLS unit in Tehachapi just a week after I said they don't. WOW!!! Boy, do times change. Maybe its time I leave, because I dont want BLS Ambulance running a critical family member when the ALS cars run out. Or maybe I should become a KCFD Medic and help them. Its a sign!!!! Im gone!!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135340 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135340 Yes, I got suckered by Hall. That never happens!!!! LOL. Thats the last time I trust my sources. They now have a BLS unit in Tehachapi just a week after I said they don't. WOW!!! Boy, do times change. Maybe its time I leave, because I dont want BLS Ambulance running a critical family member when the ALS cars run out. Or maybe I should become a KCFD Medic and help them. Its a sign!!!! Im gone!!! Thanks Tehachapidad for your honesty and posting an update. Tehachapi needs to demand from Hall's that every ambulance responds with a paramedic...Imagine getting just first aid when a family member has a heart attack or is in a serious accident&nbsp; and you are miles away from the hospital.&nbsp; Both the first response ambulance and the backup needs to be advanced life support.&nbsp; It should be a minimum standard of care.&nbsp; Our lives depend on it. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135373 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135373 Thanks Tehachapidad for your honesty and posting an update. Tehachapi needs to demand from Hall's that every ambulance responds with a paramedic...Imagine getting just first aid when a family member has a heart attack or is in a serious accident&nbsp; and you are miles away from the hospital.&nbsp; Both the first response ambulance and the backup needs to be advanced life support.&nbsp; It should be a minimum standard of care.&nbsp; Our lives depend on it. Hall, not Hall's. Thank You For Understanding. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135405 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135405 Hall, not Hall's. Thank You For Understanding. <p>Hall is a cheap bastard.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135416 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135416 <p>Hall is a cheap bastard.</p> Well there are 2 ALS units in Tehachapi as well as a BLS unit. Don't know for how long. But thats the status right now. I don't work up here so please don't quote me on this. Its what I'm told. And like last time it could change a week after I say this. LOL. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135421 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_135421 Well there are 2 ALS units in Tehachapi as well as a BLS unit. Don't know for how long. But thats the status right now. I don't work up here so please don't quote me on this. Its what I'm told. And like last time it could change a week after I say this. LOL. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First of all, Frazier Park won't be left without coverage. That area is subcontracted to Hall by AMR anyway. If there is a coverage problem, AMR will send units to cover that area. As a matter of fact, I'm sure there is one covering there now (check the Flying-J). Secondly, <strong>There were only 70 <u>TOTAL</u> calls for that area last year!!!</strong> 2/3 of those calls were at the OHV park (90% were motorcycle traumas...). If there is a need for an ambulance station, it should be at the OHV park. Also, if coverage was so important, why is it that Pine Mountain has to raise money just to build a fire station? If the county thought it was in need of a station, they would have put one there. Believe me, the FD has no problem spending your tax money. The county approved the new response times because of the call volume, or lack thereof. The people that run Kern EMS are good people. They would not have approved of the new response areas if they felt it was putting people in danger. And another thing.... Look at the people pushing for FD medics. It is LA County Fire Medics that live in Pine Mountain. The last thing anyone needs is medics on the fire department. As stated in above, most areas have FD medics. With that said, look at what has happened to those areas where they have taken over. The whole EMS system has gone to crap. LA County Medics can't even have amonia amps because they were abused. Heck, ask anyone in EMS, even a MD, and they will tell you the last thing to trust is a blood pressure by a firefighter. They train and drill for FIRES, not EMS. Would you really want a fire-medic that just sits on top of a mountain that doesn't run any calls, has little or no experience, &nbsp;and doesn't train to try to save your family member???? Frazier park would be a retirement station for the FD. It's not like they are going to send anyone new up there.... They wouldn't get any experience. Also, do any of you know how much it&nbsp;costs to have FD medics??? Why do you think Kern&nbsp;has private ambulance running the show? They do it better and cheaper and it saves everyone tons of money!!! Harvey may be a bastard (I hate the guy personally and feel that he is the devil's spawn...), but he has kept Kern private because the FD sucks! Period!!! Just look at 'em.&nbsp;According to the statements above, the FD already has people in medic school. WHY?!?! 20 people to fill only a POSSIBLE 3 shifts in Pine mountain?!?!&nbsp; And remember, those aledged&nbsp;20 are costing the taxpayers about 6-10 thousand dollars a person to go to medic school. EMS is run by statisitcs people. Even if the FD took over all of Kern EMS, if the call volume is slow in an area the FD would cut it's resources. And remember... The people that moved to Pine Mountain know that they are in the boonies!!! If you want state-of-the-art EMS, move into the city!!! If you live in is some little town in the middle of nowhere, your gunna get crappy coverage. It's like Boron requesting a full-time SWAT team because drug sales up. Get real!!! Keep EMS private. SAY NO TO FD MEDICS!!! Believe me, once they are in Frazier Park, they'll try to get ther guys placed all over the county. And when that happens, they're gunna come to you, the tax payer, and ask you to pay more in taxes. Rember that little fiasco in 2002-03 when the newspaper wanted to print how much the&nbsp;firefighters were making in overtime??? HMMMMM??? Yeah, it said that&nbsp;some of these guys were making over a 100,000 a year. The newspaper wanted to print it and the FD got in a hissy-fit and &nbsp;boycotted the paper. then they had the balls to ask for a pay hike! SAY NO TO FD MEDICS!!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136607 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136607 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; First of all, Frazier Park won't be left without coverage. That area is subcontracted to Hall by AMR anyway. If there is a coverage problem, AMR will send units to cover that area. As a matter of fact, I'm sure there is one covering there now (check the Flying-J). Secondly, <strong>There were only 70 <u>TOTAL</u> calls for that area last year!!!</strong> 2/3 of those calls were at the OHV park (90% were motorcycle traumas...). If there is a need for an ambulance station, it should be at the OHV park. Also, if coverage was so important, why is it that Pine Mountain has to raise money just to build a fire station? If the county thought it was in need of a station, they would have put one there. Believe me, the FD has no problem spending your tax money. The county approved the new response times because of the call volume, or lack thereof. The people that run Kern EMS are good people. They would not have approved of the new response areas if they felt it was putting people in danger. And another thing.... Look at the people pushing for FD medics. It is LA County Fire Medics that live in Pine Mountain. The last thing anyone needs is medics on the fire department. As stated in above, most areas have FD medics. With that said, look at what has happened to those areas where they have taken over. The whole EMS system has gone to crap. LA County Medics can't even have amonia amps because they were abused. Heck, ask anyone in EMS, even a MD, and they will tell you the last thing to trust is a blood pressure by a firefighter. They train and drill for FIRES, not EMS. Would you really want a fire-medic that just sits on top of a mountain that doesn't run any calls, has little or no experience, &nbsp;and doesn't train to try to save your family member???? Frazier park would be a retirement station for the FD. It's not like they are going to send anyone new up there.... They wouldn't get any experience. Also, do any of you know how much it&nbsp;costs to have FD medics??? Why do you think Kern&nbsp;has private ambulance running the show? They do it better and cheaper and it saves everyone tons of money!!! Harvey may be a bastard (I hate the guy personally and feel that he is the devil's spawn...), but he has kept Kern private because the FD sucks! Period!!! Just look at 'em.&nbsp;According to the statements above, the FD already has people in medic school. WHY?!?! 20 people to fill only a POSSIBLE 3 shifts in Pine mountain?!?!&nbsp; And remember, those aledged&nbsp;20 are costing the taxpayers about 6-10 thousand dollars a person to go to medic school. EMS is run by statisitcs people. Even if the FD took over all of Kern EMS, if the call volume is slow in an area the FD would cut it's resources. And remember... The people that moved to Pine Mountain know that they are in the boonies!!! If you want state-of-the-art EMS, move into the city!!! If you live in is some little town in the middle of nowhere, your gunna get crappy coverage. It's like Boron requesting a full-time SWAT team because drug sales up. Get real!!! Keep EMS private. SAY NO TO FD MEDICS!!! Believe me, once they are in Frazier Park, they'll try to get ther guys placed all over the county. And when that happens, they're gunna come to you, the tax payer, and ask you to pay more in taxes. Rember that little fiasco in 2002-03 when the newspaper wanted to print how much the&nbsp;firefighters were making in overtime??? HMMMMM??? Yeah, it said that&nbsp;some of these guys were making over a 100,000 a year. The newspaper wanted to print it and the FD got in a hissy-fit and &nbsp;boycotted the paper. then they had the balls to ask for a pay hike! SAY NO TO FD MEDICS!!! &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One last note to consider, Kern County FD and BCF are some of the lowest paid firefighters in the state. That is because they only fight fires and aren't really needed in medical aids because the ambulance services meet and mostly exceed the standards set by county EMS. The FD's are pushing for a medic program because they can turn around and ask for more money. This isn't so much about helping people in distress, it's about the FD trying to justify their over-inflated budgets! They need to just keep fighting fires and leave the medical stuff to the pros. Everyone is acting as if people are dying left and right all over Kern because the FD doesn't have medics. BOOHOO!!! Hall has been in service for 35 years and hasn't needed the FD at all during that time. Besides, the BOS in Frazier has to consider that they have a contract with the ambulance providers for ALS. the FD just can't waltz in and start a medic program. BCF tried it and got shut down. When the service areas go back for RFP, the county has to prove that the provider is negligent or has a deficient level of service. Only then can the FD come out and ask for medics. As far as I know, Hall has meet and exceeded its response times and has provided adequate service. Hall pulled back from Frazier, but AMR has stepped in and covered the LA county side and can even back-up Hall if needed. So again, this whole thing about people being left without coverage is bull!! This is just being hyped by the FD!!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136618 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136618 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One last note to consider, Kern County FD and BCF are some of the lowest paid firefighters in the state. That is because they only fight fires and aren't really needed in medical aids because the ambulance services meet and mostly exceed the standards set by county EMS. The FD's are pushing for a medic program because they can turn around and ask for more money. This isn't so much about helping people in distress, it's about the FD trying to justify their over-inflated budgets! They need to just keep fighting fires and leave the medical stuff to the pros. Everyone is acting as if people are dying left and right all over Kern because the FD doesn't have medics. BOOHOO!!! Hall has been in service for 35 years and hasn't needed the FD at all during that time. Besides, the BOS in Frazier has to consider that they have a contract with the ambulance providers for ALS. the FD just can't waltz in and start a medic program. BCF tried it and got shut down. When the service areas go back for RFP, the county has to prove that the provider is negligent or has a deficient level of service. Only then can the FD come out and ask for medics. As far as I know, Hall has meet and exceeded its response times and has provided adequate service. Hall pulled back from Frazier, but AMR has stepped in and covered the LA county side and can even back-up Hall if needed. So again, this whole thing about people being left without coverage is bull!! This is just being hyped by the FD!!! <p>Shame on you! This is not being hyped up by the FD so they can get more money. In our town the ff truly care about the people that live here. Why?  Well because they live here to and their families live here as well. Have you even read any of the MANY other blogs on this subject? There are many RESIDENTS complaining about the response times that they are getting from Hall here in Tehachapi. </p> <p>As far as the comments about how much money they make.....get over it! Yes, some made over 100,000 dollar with OT. They were also high level employees(meaning they've put many years in and climbed the chain.) They were also away from their families for days, weeks, and even months at a time. Some of this time is spent working on fires in CA or around the US. Putting in extremely long days and sleeping on the ground when they get to sleep. I bet the paper didn't publish that though. It never ceases to amaze me that people complain about what firefighters, cops, etc. make but they have no problem with the fact that the football players(or any pro athlete) they watch on Sun. morning are making millions of dollars to play a game each year!!</p> <p>Hey, if you're so pissed about them making sooooo much money you should be stoked about the possibility of fire medics!! You could get on with them and get a piece of that pie!! Oh, let me guess the idea of having to fight all those fires you were talking about earlier doesn't really appeal to you.</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136628 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136628 <p>Shame on you! This is not being hyped up by the FD so they can get more money. In our town the ff truly care about the people that live here. Why?  Well because they live here to and their families live here as well. Have you even read any of the MANY other blogs on this subject? There are many RESIDENTS complaining about the response times that they are getting from Hall here in Tehachapi. </p> <p>As far as the comments about how much money they make.....get over it! Yes, some made over 100,000 dollar with OT. They were also high level employees(meaning they've put many years in and climbed the chain.) They were also away from their families for days, weeks, and even months at a time. Some of this time is spent working on fires in CA or around the US. Putting in extremely long days and sleeping on the ground when they get to sleep. I bet the paper didn't publish that though. It never ceases to amaze me that people complain about what firefighters, cops, etc. make but they have no problem with the fact that the football players(or any pro athlete) they watch on Sun. morning are making millions of dollars to play a game each year!!</p> <p>Hey, if you're so pissed about them making sooooo much money you should be stoked about the possibility of fire medics!! You could get on with them and get a piece of that pie!! Oh, let me guess the idea of having to fight all those fires you were talking about earlier doesn't really appeal to you.</p> They weren't high level employees BTW. Speaking of fighting fires, where do you think all of the FF medics will go when there is a fire??? They sure won't stick around to help you. Believe me! Obviously you know little about EMS. You should have known that when you moved out in the middle&nbsp;of no man's land that you&nbsp; probably weren't going to get super fast response times. It's like the people that moved next to LAX and complain about the noise... Again, <strong>County EMS</strong> approved the response times, not the ambulance services. I even read a blog where Tehachapi disbanded their FD because of the cost. It's all run by statistics. The busier the agency, the more money it gets. If Tehachapi had a busy FD, they would still be around. If a person is really critical in the outlying areas, there is always the copter service. Lastly, KCFD and BCF make little money because they aren't that busy because there aren't many fires and the ambulance services run all the medical aids which saves YOU money and makes money available for other things in the county or city. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136633 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136633 They weren't high level employees BTW. Speaking of fighting fires, where do you think all of the FF medics will go when there is a fire??? They sure won't stick around to help you. Believe me! Obviously you know little about EMS. You should have known that when you moved out in the middle&nbsp;of no man's land that you&nbsp; probably weren't going to get super fast response times. It's like the people that moved next to LAX and complain about the noise... Again, <strong>County EMS</strong> approved the response times, not the ambulance services. I even read a blog where Tehachapi disbanded their FD because of the cost. It's all run by statistics. The busier the agency, the more money it gets. If Tehachapi had a busy FD, they would still be around. If a person is really critical in the outlying areas, there is always the copter service. Lastly, KCFD and BCF make little money because they aren't that busy because there aren't many fires and the ambulance services run all the medical aids which saves YOU money and makes money available for other things in the county or city. Again, you are acting like there is this vast amount of people dying all over the place and that the FD is going to save everyone. Remember, the COUNTY approved the response times, not&nbsp;the ambulance services. The county board has has people that are on the FD as well. &nbsp;Also, the copter responds to calls in the outlying areas so all of the people out there aren't wihtout help. Your statement was poetic, but uninformative and baseless. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136640 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136640 Again, you are acting like there is this vast amount of people dying all over the place and that the FD is going to save everyone. Remember, the COUNTY approved the response times, not&nbsp;the ambulance services. The county board has has people that are on the FD as well. &nbsp;Also, the copter responds to calls in the outlying areas so all of the people out there aren't wihtout help. Your statement was poetic, but uninformative and baseless. Anonymous- It is clear from your posts that you are not from here and you know nothing about our town. Do you even live in Kern County?&nbsp; In my opinion the fire dept may not be saving everyone but if they can even save a handful in a year that would make it worth it to me. I have elderly family members that live here and I'd like the comfort knowing that the people that arrive there FIRST will be able to do everything they can for them before the medics get there. Sadly this probably won't happen in their lifetime. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136646 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136646 Anonymous- It is clear from your posts that you are not from here and you know nothing about our town. Do you even live in Kern County?&nbsp; In my opinion the fire dept may not be saving everyone but if they can even save a handful in a year that would make it worth it to me. I have elderly family members that live here and I'd like the comfort knowing that the people that arrive there FIRST will be able to do everything they can for them before the medics get there. Sadly this probably won't happen in their lifetime. Name calling and bad-mouthing won't solve anything. I mearly bring facts to the table. Even if the FD gets medics, there isn't a call volume to justify their existance. Why do think the COUNY EMS AGENCY (that includes the FD) revised the response times. There are other resources that can respond to that area, like the helicopter. Again, there seems to be this myth that everyone in the outlying areas are on the verge of death and the only thing that will save them is medics on the engines. Hall offered to rent out space at&nbsp;a fire station to in order to keep an ambulance stationed out in Pine Mountain and that idea is being squashed by FD Medic proponents from LA County. It is a matter of FUNDING people. Even the FD is having trouble allocating money for stations and staff. That is&nbsp;probably why the EMS&nbsp;Agency changed the response times. Don't hate me, do the research. Like I said,&nbsp;this is all about numbers. But rushing to place medics on the engines is not the way to go. Is it an option, yes.&nbsp;But there are more cost effective ways of going about this and that is what is being talked about. Harvey is all about money, but the medics that he employees care about the people they treat as well. &nbsp;You act as if they don't and that only the FD will be this saving grace of empathy and compassion. The only person that should have shame is you. I'll make sure I forward this to all the ambulance medics in Kern. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136652 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136652 Name calling and bad-mouthing won't solve anything. I mearly bring facts to the table. Even if the FD gets medics, there isn't a call volume to justify their existance. Why do think the COUNY EMS AGENCY (that includes the FD) revised the response times. There are other resources that can respond to that area, like the helicopter. Again, there seems to be this myth that everyone in the outlying areas are on the verge of death and the only thing that will save them is medics on the engines. Hall offered to rent out space at&nbsp;a fire station to in order to keep an ambulance stationed out in Pine Mountain and that idea is being squashed by FD Medic proponents from LA County. It is a matter of FUNDING people. Even the FD is having trouble allocating money for stations and staff. That is&nbsp;probably why the EMS&nbsp;Agency changed the response times. Don't hate me, do the research. Like I said,&nbsp;this is all about numbers. But rushing to place medics on the engines is not the way to go. Is it an option, yes.&nbsp;But there are more cost effective ways of going about this and that is what is being talked about. Harvey is all about money, but the medics that he employees care about the people they treat as well. &nbsp;You act as if they don't and that only the FD will be this saving grace of empathy and compassion. The only person that should have shame is you. I'll make sure I forward this to all the ambulance medics in Kern. <p><strong><em>In one of your post you say we are the lowest paid firefighters is the state, then you talk about the Bakersfield&nbsp;paper printing our pay and how we all make over $200,000 a year. So are we the lowest paid or not.? All your facts are Hall facts made up by the man and brain washed to his employees. How can you say waiting 30 minutes for an ambulance is a good thing. We don't want your job. We just want to increase the level of care.</em></strong></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136655 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136655 <p><strong><em>In one of your post you say we are the lowest paid firefighters is the state, then you talk about the Bakersfield&nbsp;paper printing our pay and how we all make over $200,000 a year. So are we the lowest paid or not.? All your facts are Hall facts made up by the man and brain washed to his employees. How can you say waiting 30 minutes for an ambulance is a good thing. We don't want your job. We just want to increase the level of care.</em></strong></p> Kern County EMS is made up of ex-Halls employees. The department is bought and paid for by Halls.&nbsp; County EMS would do and say anything for their boy Hall. It's politics! Politics should not be in the EMS care field!!!!!! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136656 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136656 Kern County EMS is made up of ex-Halls employees. The department is bought and paid for by Halls.&nbsp; County EMS would do and say anything for their boy Hall. It's politics! Politics should not be in the EMS care field!!!!!! You are right politics, should not be part of EMS, Howerver they areand that will never change, Like any thiing else politics are what runs the world. More over just putting papramedis on en engine doesn't solve all the problems. if anything it will bring new and bigger problems. Emergenct medicine is not something you can practice once in awhile. You need to be running calles all the time. Living in a remote area is a chooase you make, and no matter what you do, you have excepted the risks involved. Not only EMS but all local services. Look at the transport times you still have to a full service hospital. if you put PM's on Engines unless that plan on putting patients in hosebeds and pick up trucks they are not going to change much. There is only so much you can do in the field. Patients need to get to an ED able to care for them. If you have elderly family members you need to relocate them to the big city and remove them from the sticks. There are many ways you increse the EMS service level and provide a better service. Putting PM's on engines may be the fast way to make change, but not always the best. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136660 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136660 You are right politics, should not be part of EMS, Howerver they areand that will never change, Like any thiing else politics are what runs the world. More over just putting papramedis on en engine doesn't solve all the problems. if anything it will bring new and bigger problems. Emergenct medicine is not something you can practice once in awhile. You need to be running calles all the time. Living in a remote area is a chooase you make, and no matter what you do, you have excepted the risks involved. Not only EMS but all local services. Look at the transport times you still have to a full service hospital. if you put PM's on Engines unless that plan on putting patients in hosebeds and pick up trucks they are not going to change much. There is only so much you can do in the field. Patients need to get to an ED able to care for them. If you have elderly family members you need to relocate them to the big city and remove them from the sticks. There are many ways you increse the EMS service level and provide a better service. Putting PM's on engines may be the fast way to make change, but not always the best. Anon--your flip comment about just call a helicopter tells me you don't know the area.&nbsp; Think about the facts--someone calls 911, waits 5-7 min for KCFD to get there.&nbsp; Another few min go by to set up and assess the pt.&nbsp; The need for a helicopter is realized, a call is put in for a helicopter.&nbsp; Talk to the dispatchers a few min to make sure critera is met and info given, then helicopter crew notified.&nbsp; In the mean while, Hall ambulance has been enroute, and arrive 20 -25 min later.&nbsp; All this time, basic first aid is all that can be administered.&nbsp; The helicopter has a air time of approx 25-45 min--depends on availablitiy and where it comes from.&nbsp; Hall ambulance arrives approx 10 -15&nbsp; min before helicopter, and FINALLY- advanced life support can be administered.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So just call a helicopter still takes at least 45 min from the initial 911 call-not the rapid response you imply.&nbsp; That is a long time to wait for advanced life support on a advanced life support pt.&nbsp; And maybe this level of service was ok 10 yrs ago, but you look at the combined population of the prison. Stallion Springs, Cummings Valley and BVS, you should realized the population growth in this area (257 new homes just last yr in BVS) has increased.&nbsp; We are not out in the boonies anymore, and it is time to provide the same level of service that&nbsp; other communites our size have.&nbsp; We are not asking for a dedicated ambulance manned 24 hrs a day in the outlying areas, but just allow the FD firefighters to become medics like they are in other counties. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136662 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136662 Anon--your flip comment about just call a helicopter tells me you don't know the area.&nbsp; Think about the facts--someone calls 911, waits 5-7 min for KCFD to get there.&nbsp; Another few min go by to set up and assess the pt.&nbsp; The need for a helicopter is realized, a call is put in for a helicopter.&nbsp; Talk to the dispatchers a few min to make sure critera is met and info given, then helicopter crew notified.&nbsp; In the mean while, Hall ambulance has been enroute, and arrive 20 -25 min later.&nbsp; All this time, basic first aid is all that can be administered.&nbsp; The helicopter has a air time of approx 25-45 min--depends on availablitiy and where it comes from.&nbsp; Hall ambulance arrives approx 10 -15&nbsp; min before helicopter, and FINALLY- advanced life support can be administered.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So just call a helicopter still takes at least 45 min from the initial 911 call-not the rapid response you imply.&nbsp; That is a long time to wait for advanced life support on a advanced life support pt.&nbsp; And maybe this level of service was ok 10 yrs ago, but you look at the combined population of the prison. Stallion Springs, Cummings Valley and BVS, you should realized the population growth in this area (257 new homes just last yr in BVS) has increased.&nbsp; We are not out in the boonies anymore, and it is time to provide the same level of service that&nbsp; other communites our size have.&nbsp; We are not asking for a dedicated ambulance manned 24 hrs a day in the outlying areas, but just allow the FD firefighters to become medics like they are in other counties. Anonymous--you also said Hall is all about money but the medics he employees care about the people and we act as they don't.&nbsp; I couldn't find ANYWHERE in this blog that people complained about the ambulance crews. I interact several times a years with Halls ambulance crews and have never once had a bad experience with any of them.&nbsp; They are top notch, dedicated people. No where was it stated that ambulance crews don't care. They are just low paid pawns in Halls plan to provide minimal service with maximum return.<br /> <br /> Read Shanes post--and he should know--he is stating what one of the orginal statements from my blog. is about. There are&nbsp; fire fighters that are paramedics out there that have to watch patients go down hill becasue they can't carry ALS equipment on the engines--due to Hall. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136666 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136666 Anonymous--you also said Hall is all about money but the medics he employees care about the people and we act as they don't.&nbsp; I couldn't find ANYWHERE in this blog that people complained about the ambulance crews. I interact several times a years with Halls ambulance crews and have never once had a bad experience with any of them.&nbsp; They are top notch, dedicated people. No where was it stated that ambulance crews don't care. They are just low paid pawns in Halls plan to provide minimal service with maximum return.<br /> <br /> Read Shanes post--and he should know--he is stating what one of the orginal statements from my blog. is about. There are&nbsp; fire fighters that are paramedics out there that have to watch patients go down hill becasue they can't carry ALS equipment on the engines--due to Hall. <em>&quot;There are many ways you increase the EMS service level and provide a better service. Putting PM's on engines may be the fast way to make change, but not always the best.&quot;</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Name one way.&nbsp; I would not want to give tax dollars to Hall. He is in it for the money. With&nbsp;the County at lest they will be spending our tax dollars on us. Not&nbsp;their race team or what ever.</strong> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136686 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136686 <em>&quot;There are many ways you increase the EMS service level and provide a better service. Putting PM's on engines may be the fast way to make change, but not always the best.&quot;</em>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Name one way.&nbsp; I would not want to give tax dollars to Hall. He is in it for the money. With&nbsp;the County at lest they will be spending our tax dollars on us. Not&nbsp;their race team or what ever.</strong>   Anonoymous, how many firefighters tests have you failed?  All anyone wants is better paramedic service.  The other night I saw 5 Halls ambulances waiting to unload or pick up a patient for a transfer at Memorial Hospital.  Transfers take an ambulance out of service for hours, why because harvey knows he can collect on the insurance $$ guarenteed.  The others were waiting for a bed.  So, 5 ambulances out of service.  I wonder if harvey was calling AMR, Care, or Liberty for back-up??  I talked to a hall paramedic supervisor who was scared to tell his supervisor that he was taking a firefighter test and would need the day off because he was afraid of losing his current job.  Are you afraid of losing your hero complex if a ff/pm is already on scene providing ALS intervention?  Do your history, look at how many more times the hall helicopter has been used now that the MAYOR own$ it.  Are f/f's FAIRLY paid?  yes, rich no.  How many private medics have a rigorous 6-8 month testing process just to take a chance on getting hired, than a 4 month academy, and than 12 months of field training?  If you were laying there bleeding to death, wouldn't you want a ff/pm to start treating you, or do you want to wait 10-2o minutes for a private ambulance medic?  I have nothing against private medics.  I know they are doing a good job working for greedy owners. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136758 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136758   Anonoymous, how many firefighters tests have you failed?  All anyone wants is better paramedic service.  The other night I saw 5 Halls ambulances waiting to unload or pick up a patient for a transfer at Memorial Hospital.  Transfers take an ambulance out of service for hours, why because harvey knows he can collect on the insurance $$ guarenteed.  The others were waiting for a bed.  So, 5 ambulances out of service.  I wonder if harvey was calling AMR, Care, or Liberty for back-up??  I talked to a hall paramedic supervisor who was scared to tell his supervisor that he was taking a firefighter test and would need the day off because he was afraid of losing his current job.  Are you afraid of losing your hero complex if a ff/pm is already on scene providing ALS intervention?  Do your history, look at how many more times the hall helicopter has been used now that the MAYOR own$ it.  Are f/f's FAIRLY paid?  yes, rich no.  How many private medics have a rigorous 6-8 month testing process just to take a chance on getting hired, than a 4 month academy, and than 12 months of field training?  If you were laying there bleeding to death, wouldn't you want a ff/pm to start treating you, or do you want to wait 10-2o minutes for a private ambulance medic?  I have nothing against private medics.  I know they are doing a good job working for greedy owners. Hey nerdgeek and the anonymous&nbsp;Hall dork, please use spell check or slow down. It is painful to read your posts. But keep up the dribble, its fun to read. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136802 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136802 Hey nerdgeek and the anonymous&nbsp;Hall dork, please use spell check or slow down. It is painful to read your posts. But keep up the dribble, its fun to read. <p>Anonymous- I just noticed that you added to your post.....</p> <p><em>Harvey is all about money, but the medics that he employees care about the people they treat as well.  <strong>You act as if they don't and that only the FD will be this saving grace of empathy and compassion.</strong> The only person that should have shame is you. I'll make sure I forward this to all the ambulance medics in Kern. </em></p> <p>So now we're resorting to putting words in people's mouths( there seems to be an epidemic going around)........nice!  You go ahead and send this to all the ambulance medics and while you are at it send all my other posts (on different blogs on here) that praise them for the great job they are doing. Sound fair. </p> <p>Also if you are going to say you are bringing facts to the table will you please do so because so far you've given out so much false info it's mind boggling.</p> <p>If you want to sound like you know what you are talking about here are a few FACTS you should know.....</p> <p>1.) There already is a full time Kern County fire station in Frazier Park! Surprise!</p> <p>2.) The FD run on all medical calls placed through 911....how can you NOT know this???</p> <p>3.) All FD personnel have to stay current in their EMT status( this means training) and if they were medics the same would be true.</p> <p>4.) Tehachapi Fire Dept. was dis banned because they were providing parallel services to KCFD. Funding had nothing to do with it ......it was a waste of money.</p> <p>5.) <em>BFD and KCFD aren't that busy</em>???.......when was the last time you did a ride along?</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136814 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136814 <p>Anonymous- I just noticed that you added to your post.....</p> <p><em>Harvey is all about money, but the medics that he employees care about the people they treat as well.  <strong>You act as if they don't and that only the FD will be this saving grace of empathy and compassion.</strong> The only person that should have shame is you. I'll make sure I forward this to all the ambulance medics in Kern. </em></p> <p>So now we're resorting to putting words in people's mouths( there seems to be an epidemic going around)........nice!  You go ahead and send this to all the ambulance medics and while you are at it send all my other posts (on different blogs on here) that praise them for the great job they are doing. Sound fair. </p> <p>Also if you are going to say you are bringing facts to the table will you please do so because so far you've given out so much false info it's mind boggling.</p> <p>If you want to sound like you know what you are talking about here are a few FACTS you should know.....</p> <p>1.) There already is a full time Kern County fire station in Frazier Park! Surprise!</p> <p>2.) The FD run on all medical calls placed through 911....how can you NOT know this???</p> <p>3.) All FD personnel have to stay current in their EMT status( this means training) and if they were medics the same would be true.</p> <p>4.) Tehachapi Fire Dept. was dis banned because they were providing parallel services to KCFD. Funding had nothing to do with it ......it was a waste of money.</p> <p>5.) <em>BFD and KCFD aren't that busy</em>???.......when was the last time you did a ride along?</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> There are some KCFD and BFD stations that are running about 3000 calls a year, 70% are EMS I bet... http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136840 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136840 There are some KCFD and BFD stations that are running about 3000 calls a year, 70% are EMS I bet... Wow!&nbsp;&nbsp; There for a few days I thought this blog was a full code...dead in the water.&nbsp; But with some CPR and Advanced Life Support skills (provided by all the new blogs)...it was successfully&nbsp; resuscitated!<br /> Thanks to all of you who have expressed concern about the level of EMS care in Kern County...but I don't know what to do about improving it.&nbsp; There is an obvious conflict of interest between being a mayor/politition and making the decisions as to what level of EMS to provide, especially when he feel it may somehow affect his pocketbook.&nbsp; Most of us, including me, feel it would be career suicide to try to improve the level of EMS care provided.<br /> Any suggestions as to what the next step should be???? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136847 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136847 Wow!&nbsp;&nbsp; There for a few days I thought this blog was a full code...dead in the water.&nbsp; But with some CPR and Advanced Life Support skills (provided by all the new blogs)...it was successfully&nbsp; resuscitated!<br /> Thanks to all of you who have expressed concern about the level of EMS care in Kern County...but I don't know what to do about improving it.&nbsp; There is an obvious conflict of interest between being a mayor/politition and making the decisions as to what level of EMS to provide, especially when he feel it may somehow affect his pocketbook.&nbsp; Most of us, including me, feel it would be career suicide to try to improve the level of EMS care provided.<br /> Any suggestions as to what the next step should be???? <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">&nbsp;I do work for KCFD and my name is Ryan Moore, so I&rsquo;m not hiding. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I think that this issue has been drawn out so much that the real basis has been missed. The real issue is the level of care that we can provide to the public. This is not an ambulance service versus fire department issue.&nbsp;There are no intentions of taking over patient transportation from the current ambulance companies, and the fact is we will always need ambulance companies to provide the transportation aspect. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In the field level the relationship between ambulance companies and fire personnel is good in my opinion.&nbsp; There is a mutual and professional respect. We do what&nbsp;we can to help them on scene and they do what they can to help us. It seems like the issue lies in the upper management of one particular ambulance company.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">By the fire department receiving paramedic/firefighters the level of care can only increase. Every medical aid call, with the exception of&nbsp;some private requests made directly to the ambulance company, the fire department will respond and this will always occur regardless if we get paramedics or not. There are times that the ambulance gets on scene first and waves us off because they can handle the call by themselves, sometimes all that manpower is not needed but it is always started. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">With long response times in some areas in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kern</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place> having a firefighter paramedic seems like a no-brainer. Take Lost Hills for example. Any medical aid or car wreck the ambulance comes from Wasco. Wasco is 18 miles from Lost Hills so anything in the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lost</st1:place></st1:city> Hills takes at least 15-20 min for ALS to begin. Anything outside of the city takes even that much longer. Now response times are a good argument for having firefighter/paramedics in the KCFD. But like I said in the beginning this is about level of care to patients, and patient care is more than just response times. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Now lets move back to Wasco where I work. The ambulance is almost right next door to us. Their response time is pretty much identical to the fire department. Either we are leading them or they are leading us. Say we both arrived on scene at the same time and are working the scene of a full arrest, now we have two paramedics on scene. One paramedic from Kern ambulance and one from KCFD. There is so much going on that a second paramedic is a real treat to have. One could be starting an IV and pushing medications and the other could be intubating. The engineer or captain from the fire department can be doing chest compressions and the emt on the ambulance can be getting the gurney ready to put the patient on. That is teamwork right there. Two highly trained paramedics backing one another up providing the best chance the patient can have. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The next scenario is a car wreck with multiple patients. On a typical car wreck you get 1 Battalion Chief 2 Fire engines or 1 Fire engine and 1 Truck and 1 Ambulance. As it is now with that response you get 1 paramedic. If there were firefighter/paramedics on the fire department equipment you would get 3. If there are multiple patients 1 paramedic is going to get stretched thin. Him or her can only go so far. With 3 a more appropriate level of care can be initiated. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We are interested in public safety since that is our job. If there is a tool out there that can help us do our job better and provide a better service to the public and possibly save a life then it should be criminal to deny us the tool. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What affect will this have on ambulance companies serving <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kern</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place>? Absolutely none. They will still be providing&nbsp;the transportation aspect of <st1:place w:st="on">EMS</st1:place> and will still need paramedics to do so. Nothing changes for them. Will the firefighter/paramedic program cost the taxpayers money? I&rsquo;m sure it will. But if even one life is saved due to the better service they received then it was worth all the money in the world. How much is the safety of your family and friends worth? We wont be able to save them all but doesn&rsquo;t everyone deserve a real fighting chance?<o:p></o:p></span></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136910 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_136910 <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">&nbsp;I do work for KCFD and my name is Ryan Moore, so I&rsquo;m not hiding. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I think that this issue has been drawn out so much that the real basis has been missed. The real issue is the level of care that we can provide to the public. This is not an ambulance service versus fire department issue.&nbsp;There are no intentions of taking over patient transportation from the current ambulance companies, and the fact is we will always need ambulance companies to provide the transportation aspect. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">In the field level the relationship between ambulance companies and fire personnel is good in my opinion.&nbsp; There is a mutual and professional respect. We do what&nbsp;we can to help them on scene and they do what they can to help us. It seems like the issue lies in the upper management of one particular ambulance company.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">By the fire department receiving paramedic/firefighters the level of care can only increase. Every medical aid call, with the exception of&nbsp;some private requests made directly to the ambulance company, the fire department will respond and this will always occur regardless if we get paramedics or not. There are times that the ambulance gets on scene first and waves us off because they can handle the call by themselves, sometimes all that manpower is not needed but it is always started. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">With long response times in some areas in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kern</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place> having a firefighter paramedic seems like a no-brainer. Take Lost Hills for example. Any medical aid or car wreck the ambulance comes from Wasco. Wasco is 18 miles from Lost Hills so anything in the city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Lost</st1:place></st1:city> Hills takes at least 15-20 min for ALS to begin. Anything outside of the city takes even that much longer. Now response times are a good argument for having firefighter/paramedics in the KCFD. But like I said in the beginning this is about level of care to patients, and patient care is more than just response times. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Now lets move back to Wasco where I work. The ambulance is almost right next door to us. Their response time is pretty much identical to the fire department. Either we are leading them or they are leading us. Say we both arrived on scene at the same time and are working the scene of a full arrest, now we have two paramedics on scene. One paramedic from Kern ambulance and one from KCFD. There is so much going on that a second paramedic is a real treat to have. One could be starting an IV and pushing medications and the other could be intubating. The engineer or captain from the fire department can be doing chest compressions and the emt on the ambulance can be getting the gurney ready to put the patient on. That is teamwork right there. Two highly trained paramedics backing one another up providing the best chance the patient can have. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The next scenario is a car wreck with multiple patients. On a typical car wreck you get 1 Battalion Chief 2 Fire engines or 1 Fire engine and 1 Truck and 1 Ambulance. As it is now with that response you get 1 paramedic. If there were firefighter/paramedics on the fire department equipment you would get 3. If there are multiple patients 1 paramedic is going to get stretched thin. Him or her can only go so far. With 3 a more appropriate level of care can be initiated. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">We are interested in public safety since that is our job. If there is a tool out there that can help us do our job better and provide a better service to the public and possibly save a life then it should be criminal to deny us the tool. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">What affect will this have on ambulance companies serving <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Kern</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">County</st1:placetype></st1:place>? Absolutely none. They will still be providing&nbsp;the transportation aspect of <st1:place w:st="on">EMS</st1:place> and will still need paramedics to do so. Nothing changes for them. Will the firefighter/paramedic program cost the taxpayers money? I&rsquo;m sure it will. But if even one life is saved due to the better service they received then it was worth all the money in the world. How much is the safety of your family and friends worth? We wont be able to save them all but doesn&rsquo;t everyone deserve a real fighting chance?<o:p></o:p></span></p> Thank you Big Daddy for you input.&nbsp; You are right--some people tried to make this into a ambulance vs fire dept fight.&nbsp; That is the last thing I wanted to accomplish on this blog.&nbsp; Hall's ambulance and the fire dept have always worked together as a team to benefit one thing-the patient.&nbsp; Working a cardiac arrest or a multiple victim car accident with 2 paramedics should not be a luxury--it should be a neccessaity.&nbsp; More than one life would be saved if Kern County firefighters became paramedics.&nbsp; Hall would not lose any revenue as he would still be transporting the patient.<br /> So what is the next step?&nbsp; How can we ensure that firefighters can become paramedics?&nbsp; We can blog all we want but will it do any good?&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137018 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137018 Thank you Big Daddy for you input.&nbsp; You are right--some people tried to make this into a ambulance vs fire dept fight.&nbsp; That is the last thing I wanted to accomplish on this blog.&nbsp; Hall's ambulance and the fire dept have always worked together as a team to benefit one thing-the patient.&nbsp; Working a cardiac arrest or a multiple victim car accident with 2 paramedics should not be a luxury--it should be a neccessaity.&nbsp; More than one life would be saved if Kern County firefighters became paramedics.&nbsp; Hall would not lose any revenue as he would still be transporting the patient.<br /> So what is the next step?&nbsp; How can we ensure that firefighters can become paramedics?&nbsp; We can blog all we want but will it do any good?&nbsp; You would have to get rid of Halls boy BOS Watson and re-work county EMS. Then things would change for the better. I wonder how BOS Maben would vote. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137025 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137025 You would have to get rid of Halls boy BOS Watson and re-work county EMS. Then things would change for the better. I wonder how BOS Maben would vote. I believe Harvey and Maben are brothers..........&nbsp; I would not be surprised to see Harv run for the BOS in the near future.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137067 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137067 I believe Harvey and Maben are brothers..........&nbsp; I would not be surprised to see Harv run for the BOS in the near future.&nbsp; <p><em><strong>Another Hall flip flop. How many sides of his face can this man speak out of? Let's play a game with this one. Its called &quot;How Many Discrepancies Can You Find In The Hall Ambulance Official Stand In This Article.&quot; It sounds a lot like the Tehachapi City Council regarding the fire protection issue. If they can't have their way, they take their toys and go home. Only these toys save lives and property. Shame on all of you.</strong></em></p> <h3 class="headline">Hall's Pine Mountain Club station to close</h3> <h4 class="subheadline">&nbsp;</h4> <h5><span class="byline">BY JASON KOTOWSKI, Californian staff writer<br /> e-mail: jkotowski@bakersfield.com</span> | <span class="time_posted">Monday, Sep 10 2007 9:40 PM</span> </h5> <p class="time_updated">Last Updated: Monday, Sep 10 2007 9:44 PM</p> <p class="first_paragraph">Hall Ambulance Service will be closing its Pine Mountain Club station Oct. 6 for reasons including a lack of support from some members of the community.</p> <div class="story_assets"></div> <p>The company will continue to provide service to the area from its unit in Frazier Park, said Mark Corum, Hall's director of public and media relations. The Pine Mountain Club station has been operating on weekends for the past year and a half.</p> <p>The station is closing because of low call volume, unreimbursed costs and a change in direction with new leadership for the Pine Mountain Club community, Corum said. Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, owner of Hall Ambulance Service, said in a news release that keeping the station open required the continued support of everyone involved.</p> <p>Some residents of the south county mountain community have been upset with the service they've received. They have asked for coverage by county firefighters trained as paramedics so people could get immediate care while the ambulance was on its way.</p> <p>&quot;We have a saying, 'Don't get sick during the week,' because the ambulance isn't here,&quot; said resident Frank Sanchez.</p> <p>A firefighter paramedic is what the community needs, he said.</p> <p>Kern County Fire Chief Dennis Thompson has said he was looking into the issue, according to archived stories in <em>The Californian</em>. Thompson could not immediately be reached for comment Monday evening.</p> <p>Corum said a firefighter paramedic won't do residents much good unless they also have the proper transportation to get a patient to a hospital as quickly as possible. </p> <p>As for Hall ambulances not arriving quickly enough, Corum said the company has met the county's standards and that ambulance companies have no control over the various time limits that have been set for reaching different types of areas. Also, when an ambulance covering the Pine Mountain Club area is called away, another replaces it so the area is never without coverage.</p> <p>Supervisor Ray Watson wasn't surprised the station was closing.</p> <p>&quot;The community hasn't been very welcoming to Hall so I can understand why they would not want to continue that service,&quot; Watson said.</p> <p>Things will just go back to the way they were before the station opened -- with Hall operating out of Frazier Park -- so residents won't be left in the lurch, Watson said. </p> <p>Corum said there were only 52 calls for service in the Pine Mountain Club area during the past 15 months. Of those, 22 were non-transport calls.</p> <p>The company collected less than $30,000 on the calls that were completed, but spent $260,000 on wages, rent, utilities and equipment upgrades, Corum said.</p> <p>In June, Kern County supervisors approved new performance standards for the ambulance companies that operate in the county. Ambulances must arrive within time limits 90 percent of the time or risk losing their contract with the county. Hall Ambulance has met those standards.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137141 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137141 <p><em><strong>Another Hall flip flop. How many sides of his face can this man speak out of? Let's play a game with this one. Its called &quot;How Many Discrepancies Can You Find In The Hall Ambulance Official Stand In This Article.&quot; It sounds a lot like the Tehachapi City Council regarding the fire protection issue. If they can't have their way, they take their toys and go home. Only these toys save lives and property. Shame on all of you.</strong></em></p> <h3 class="headline">Hall's Pine Mountain Club station to close</h3> <h4 class="subheadline">&nbsp;</h4> <h5><span class="byline">BY JASON KOTOWSKI, Californian staff writer<br /> e-mail: jkotowski@bakersfield.com</span> | <span class="time_posted">Monday, Sep 10 2007 9:40 PM</span> </h5> <p class="time_updated">Last Updated: Monday, Sep 10 2007 9:44 PM</p> <p class="first_paragraph">Hall Ambulance Service will be closing its Pine Mountain Club station Oct. 6 for reasons including a lack of support from some members of the community.</p> <div class="story_assets"></div> <p>The company will continue to provide service to the area from its unit in Frazier Park, said Mark Corum, Hall's director of public and media relations. The Pine Mountain Club station has been operating on weekends for the past year and a half.</p> <p>The station is closing because of low call volume, unreimbursed costs and a change in direction with new leadership for the Pine Mountain Club community, Corum said. Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, owner of Hall Ambulance Service, said in a news release that keeping the station open required the continued support of everyone involved.</p> <p>Some residents of the south county mountain community have been upset with the service they've received. They have asked for coverage by county firefighters trained as paramedics so people could get immediate care while the ambulance was on its way.</p> <p>&quot;We have a saying, 'Don't get sick during the week,' because the ambulance isn't here,&quot; said resident Frank Sanchez.</p> <p>A firefighter paramedic is what the community needs, he said.</p> <p>Kern County Fire Chief Dennis Thompson has said he was looking into the issue, according to archived stories in <em>The Californian</em>. Thompson could not immediately be reached for comment Monday evening.</p> <p>Corum said a firefighter paramedic won't do residents much good unless they also have the proper transportation to get a patient to a hospital as quickly as possible. </p> <p>As for Hall ambulances not arriving quickly enough, Corum said the company has met the county's standards and that ambulance companies have no control over the various time limits that have been set for reaching different types of areas. Also, when an ambulance covering the Pine Mountain Club area is called away, another replaces it so the area is never without coverage.</p> <p>Supervisor Ray Watson wasn't surprised the station was closing.</p> <p>&quot;The community hasn't been very welcoming to Hall so I can understand why they would not want to continue that service,&quot; Watson said.</p> <p>Things will just go back to the way they were before the station opened -- with Hall operating out of Frazier Park -- so residents won't be left in the lurch, Watson said. </p> <p>Corum said there were only 52 calls for service in the Pine Mountain Club area during the past 15 months. Of those, 22 were non-transport calls.</p> <p>The company collected less than $30,000 on the calls that were completed, but spent $260,000 on wages, rent, utilities and equipment upgrades, Corum said.</p> <p>In June, Kern County supervisors approved new performance standards for the ambulance companies that operate in the county. Ambulances must arrive within time limits 90 percent of the time or risk losing their contract with the county. Hall Ambulance has met those standards.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The typical double talk from the Halls propaganda machine..&nbsp; It's time for fifrefighter/paramedics.</p> <p>First of all, Corum finally admits it's all about the Benjamin$$, not the people in Harv's special places.&nbsp; No money, no service, plain and simple.&nbsp; I am sure Watson is ok with this as he is mostly like trying to get a job with Hall's when he gets bounced out of office.&nbsp; Corum obviously has a beef with the fire dept as he makes another inaccurate statement.&nbsp; If ff/pm's can get on scene rapidly and stabilize a patient before an ambulance, isn't that a good thing???&nbsp; Stabilize the patient than transport, kind of like the ambulances do.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see what happens in Harvs's other special place regarding ambulances.&nbsp; What will Mabens opinion be?&nbsp; Will Hall keep both ambulances running if and when he opens the Golden Hills post?&nbsp; Only time and $$ will tell...........</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137221 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137221 <p>The typical double talk from the Halls propaganda machine..&nbsp; It's time for fifrefighter/paramedics.</p> <p>First of all, Corum finally admits it's all about the Benjamin$$, not the people in Harv's special places.&nbsp; No money, no service, plain and simple.&nbsp; I am sure Watson is ok with this as he is mostly like trying to get a job with Hall's when he gets bounced out of office.&nbsp; Corum obviously has a beef with the fire dept as he makes another inaccurate statement.&nbsp; If ff/pm's can get on scene rapidly and stabilize a patient before an ambulance, isn't that a good thing???&nbsp; Stabilize the patient than transport, kind of like the ambulances do.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see what happens in Harvs's other special place regarding ambulances.&nbsp; What will Mabens opinion be?&nbsp; Will Hall keep both ambulances running if and when he opens the Golden Hills post?&nbsp; Only time and $$ will tell...........</p> Per Corum, &quot;A firefighter paramedic won't do much good....&quot;&nbsp; tells me he is NOT acting in the patients best interest.&nbsp; A firefighter paramedic can assess, start IV's,&nbsp; administer drugs, externally pace, and have the patient ready for transport.&nbsp; When Hall ambulance gets there--they can just load and go.&nbsp; They don't have to wait another 5-10 min while a paramedic assessment has to be done.&nbsp; http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137381 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137381 Per Corum, &quot;A firefighter paramedic won't do much good....&quot;&nbsp; tells me he is NOT acting in the patients best interest.&nbsp; A firefighter paramedic can assess, start IV's,&nbsp; administer drugs, externally pace, and have the patient ready for transport.&nbsp; When Hall ambulance gets there--they can just load and go.&nbsp; They don't have to wait another 5-10 min while a paramedic assessment has to be done.&nbsp; Read www.mountainenterprise.com&nbsp; and the article an Pine Mountain and Hall ambulance.&nbsp; Hall requested that over $329,000&nbsp; be given to him in payment from the community and FREE use of a wing of the new fire station so he can run his private busness.&nbsp; Can you believe IT?&nbsp; The grand jury report also stated the firefighters need to be paramedics at Pine Mountain... http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137409 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137409 Read www.mountainenterprise.com&nbsp; and the article an Pine Mountain and Hall ambulance.&nbsp; Hall requested that over $329,000&nbsp; be given to him in payment from the community and FREE use of a wing of the new fire station so he can run his private busness.&nbsp; Can you believe IT?&nbsp; The grand jury report also stated the firefighters need to be paramedics at Pine Mountain... Where is Watson??? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137412 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137412 Where is Watson??? He is having dinner with Mr. Hall. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137416 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137416 He is having dinner with Mr. Hall. and a movie with Maben http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137420 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137420 and a movie with Maben Hey Mark Corum. Do you see now what kind of company you work for? Will you continue to be the lier for this greedy man? You have some talent, why not try another job? http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137561 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137561 Hey Mark Corum. Do you see now what kind of company you work for? Will you continue to be the lier for this greedy man? You have some talent, why not try another job? He has been found!&nbsp;&nbsp; Look up HallAmbulance under private profiles and send him an email inviting him to join us!&nbsp; Mark Corum has been found! http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137590 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137590 He has been found!&nbsp;&nbsp; Look up HallAmbulance under private profiles and send him an email inviting him to join us!&nbsp; Mark Corum has been found! <p>I don't wonder at all, Most hall employees are idiots.&nbsp; I'd be very afraid of certain employees picking me up for a ride to the hospital.&nbsp; I know that there are some very professional EMT's and paramedics associated with Hall's.&nbsp; I also know that there are some really &quot;not very smart ones&quot; as well.&nbsp; They are the ones that you see running around with their chests poofed out and their little radio clutched in their little hands.&nbsp; Some are verrrrry scarrrrrry. Yikes!!!!</p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137824 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137824 <p>I don't wonder at all, Most hall employees are idiots.&nbsp; I'd be very afraid of certain employees picking me up for a ride to the hospital.&nbsp; I know that there are some very professional EMT's and paramedics associated with Hall's.&nbsp; I also know that there are some really &quot;not very smart ones&quot; as well.&nbsp; They are the ones that you see running around with their chests poofed out and their little radio clutched in their little hands.&nbsp; Some are verrrrry scarrrrrry. Yikes!!!!</p> <p><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff0000" size="5">&nbsp; ''DITTO'' &nbsp;</font></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137874 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_137874 <p><font style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ff0000" size="5">&nbsp; ''DITTO'' &nbsp;</font></p> <p><strong>Harvey Hall and Ray Watson just took away&nbsp;Pine Mountain's&nbsp;weekend ambulance service and insulted us with paternalistic garbage&nbsp;in the process.&nbsp; Since we have a vocal&nbsp;group working toward ALS Fire Fighter Paramedics&nbsp;for all rural areas; Watson said we didn't&nbsp;love Hall well enough to keep his service.&nbsp; Of course Hall also wanted bundles of money from us on top of our tax dollars. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone want to bet that our budgeted fire station (to replace our condemned one) well go&nbsp;away next?&nbsp; Or maybe our just added third firefighter will&nbsp;disappear next?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138084 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138084 <p><strong>Harvey Hall and Ray Watson just took away&nbsp;Pine Mountain's&nbsp;weekend ambulance service and insulted us with paternalistic garbage&nbsp;in the process.&nbsp; Since we have a vocal&nbsp;group working toward ALS Fire Fighter Paramedics&nbsp;for all rural areas; Watson said we didn't&nbsp;love Hall well enough to keep his service.&nbsp; Of course Hall also wanted bundles of money from us on top of our tax dollars. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone want to bet that our budgeted fire station (to replace our condemned one) well go&nbsp;away next?&nbsp; Or maybe our just added third firefighter will&nbsp;disappear next?&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong></p> I'm fairly certain the third firefighter position will not go away.  If your refering to a fire station in Pine Mountain going away, a strong hunch would say not likely. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138091 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138091 I'm fairly certain the third firefighter position will not go away.  If your refering to a fire station in Pine Mountain going away, a strong hunch would say not likely. Welcome Karen, it is good of you to join us.&nbsp; We need to present a united front in order to push for Kern County Firefighters to become paramedics in all rural areas.&nbsp; I stumbled on the Mountain Enterprise yesterday and have been reading the articles--and have been astonished at some of the problems your community has and is facing regarding EMS coverage. Let your friends about this blog so they can join us as all input is welcome.<br /> <br /> I also want to make sure that this blog doesn't turn into a &quot;Let's Bash Hall Ambulance,&quot; even if Hall is at the root of the problem.&nbsp; If I have time tomorrow, I am going to make a few phone calls.&nbsp;&nbsp; I'll let you know what transpires. http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138128 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_138128 Welcome Karen, it is good of you to join us.&nbsp; We need to present a united front in order to push for Kern County Firefighters to become paramedics in all rural areas.&nbsp; I stumbled on the Mountain Enterprise yesterday and have been reading the articles--and have been astonished at some of the problems your community has and is facing regarding EMS coverage. Let your friends about this blog so they can join us as all input is welcome.<br /> <br /> I also want to make sure that this blog doesn't turn into a &quot;Let's Bash Hall Ambulance,&quot; even if Hall is at the root of the problem.&nbsp; If I have time tomorrow, I am going to make a few phone calls.&nbsp;&nbsp; I'll let you know what transpires. <p>Wow,</p> <p>Has anyone thought that we should become a united front and use all our energy in getting this issue of EMS/Firefighter-Paramedics resolved as a group instead of using this BLOG to express our frustrations?   A lot of it is great information, but the communities need to rally together in order to make change in this County!</p> <p>On to another issue that makes me laugh......  Where do I begin.... (Sorry for jumping around with the subject matter)</p> <p> I read an earlier comment by a person named <strong><u>"anonomous</u></strong>".  He or she must work for halls out of Frazier Park or Kern EMS.   And I have to agree that this person must not of past the fire depts testing process and is pretty bitter towards the Fire dept.</p> <p>The issue with AMR posting at the flying J and coming up into frazier park is to cover Lockwood valley/Hungery valley (located in Ventura County).  This went into effect just this last week.  (Hmmmmmmmm  Not many people knew about that happening, unless you work for Halls or Kern EMS)   The reason for this is because Halls pulled out of LA/Ventura Counties and was providing only a BLS ambulance staffed 7a to 7p along with the ALS rig out of Frazier.  The other reason is because Kern EMS sent a letter to Ventura EMS just last week that Halls would no longer be providing service into Lockwood valley or Hungry Valley.... So, AMR out of Ventura was left no other choice but to post a rig at the Flying J.    </p> <p>As for some of his or her other comments it is obvious they are PRO HALLS/Private paramedics services.  The calls that the fire departments respond to are 85%  EMS and the rest are fires or misc incidents....  </p> <p>As for Dr's not trusting Fire dept Blood pressures, I find that hard to believe.....  You might as well lump the private medics and EMTs in there as well as providing false BP's....   NO ONE IS PERFECT...  But to make a statement about the Fire dept not trained in EMS and they should just stick to putting out fires is a joke!  </p> <p>If you worked for a fire dept you would realize that EMS is shoved down our throats and that we maintain a high level of compentency!  Yes, there are those firefighters who are weak in the field of EMS but I would say it is pretty much equal across the board with Ambulance EMT's and Paramedics as well.  I have witnessed both sides of the fence and if you disagree then you are either blind or just close minded.  </p> <p>And last but not least, your comments about LA County fire medics are behind all that goes on in PMC is just a bunch of BS as well.  The citizens of PMC are just as much a part of this whole mess.  Just ask Karen Bailey who's husband died at home while waiting over an hour for Halls to arrive.  Anonomous, please get your facts straight before expressing your views on the subject.   I don't see halls carrying the JAWS of life in the near future to extricate patients trapped in cars or repelling over the side to rescue individuals trapped on cliffs.  So unless you know something that the general public doesn't, please share it with all of us!  Because the fire department is here to stay and Firefighter/paramedics are coming to Kern county weather you like it or not.   </p> <p>Have a great day and hug a firefighter next time you see one. :)  Who knows he or she may be the one who comes to your rescue while your waiting for the private ambulance to arrive.  </p> <p>PS: Bad info was put out about 20 kern Firefighters are in Paramedic school.... It is only "6" enrolled.  And as for where they will be placed who knows?  It could be in Tehachapi, Walker basin, Frazier Park etc...  That decision is up to the Fire Chief of Kern County, not the residence of PMC.</p> <p> </p> http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_139133 http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/Blog/concernedcitizen/13708/#c_139133 <p>Wow,</p> <p>Has anyone thought that we should become a united front and use all our energy in getting this issue of EMS/Firefighter-Paramedics resolved as a group instead of using this BLOG to express our frustrations?   A lot of it is great information, but the communities need to rally together in order to make change in this County!</p> <p>On to another issue that makes me laugh......  Where do I begin.... (Sorry for jumping around with the subject matter)</p> <p> I read an earlier comment by a person named <strong><u>"anonomous</u></strong>".  He or she must work for halls out of Frazier Park or Kern EMS.   And I have to agree that this person must not of past the fire depts testing process and is pretty bitter towards the Fire dept.</p> <p>The issue with AMR posting at the flying J and coming up into frazier park is to cover Lockwood valley/Hungery valley (located in Ventura County).  This went into effect just this last week.  (Hmmmmmmmm  Not many people knew about that happening, unless you work for Halls or Kern EMS)   The reason for this is because Halls pulled out of LA/Ventura Counties and was providing only a BLS ambulance staffed 7a to 7p along with the ALS rig out of Frazier.  The other reason is because Kern EMS sent a letter to Ventura EMS just last week that Halls would no longer be providing service into Lockwood valley or Hungry Valley.... So, AMR out of Ventura was left no other choice but to post a rig at the Flying J.    </p> <p>As for some of his or her other comments it is obvious they are PRO HALLS/Private paramedics services.  The calls that the fire departments respond to are 85%  EMS and the rest are fires or misc incidents....  </p> <p>As for Dr's not trusting Fire dept Blood pressures, I find that hard to believe.....  You might as well lump the private medics and EMTs in there as well as providing false BP's....   NO ONE IS PERFECT...  But to make a statement about the Fire dept no