St Marys County Citizens are unprotected

[godsbutterfly]

I am not from this area, have only been up for 2 years, and it scared me terribly to come back one afternoon and find a fire truck parked at our place of business. I ran in expecting who knows what just as the man was leaving to get back into the truck. My daughter started going " It's fine, Mom! We're all okay!" and my husband said for me to sit down because I was white as a sheet. The guy had just stopped by to pay his bill! My hubby is diabetic & I thought perhaps he was having an insulin reaction or something worse had happened. Where I am from in VA there is a Paramedic on every Firetruck. That's when I learned it was all volunteer here and what the ALS truck looks like. I have been really impressed so far with all I have seen from the volunteers and I think you are all very unselfish and you are to be commended for all you do.

 

[Voter2002]

1. The immediate solution to the lack of EMS/fire response is to get more volunteers...but even that takes a lot of time due to the initial training EMT's and firefighters must get. AND, there are less & less people volunteering these days - in part due to dual income families (mom & dad work full time and devote what is left of off work time to the kids and activities) and most employers not letting their volunteers leave work to respond to calls anymore. Most of those who do let their folks off to go require them to "make up" the time or use vacation days. There are VERY FEW employers who let their people off for a call because most of them could care less that it's the right thing to do to help the community. The almighty dollar rules.

2. Probably 95% of those who get trained as EMTs/firefighters/paramedics do it on their own time in the evenings after work. That's why it takes 4+ months to get even the EMT-B certification. I don't know of too many people who can take 3 weeks off work to attend a class full time during the day.

3. A lot of the EMTs/firefighters that respond to your calls in St. Mary's are career firefighters/paramedics in paid departments up the road like PG county, DC, Montgomery County, AA County. They also live and volunteer here in St. Mary's. That includes a huge chunk of the career firefighters on base - they also volunteer here in the community.

4. Paid? There is no "pay" for volunteers here in the county. After qualifying and serving a minimum of 3 years, a volunteer qualifies for a $3500 tax deduction. After 20 years of qualified service and after turning 55, they get $175 a month LOSAP money. Woo hoo!

5. If there is a call for a person not breathing or CPR in progress, a fire company is automatically dispatched to assist. They also carry BLS equipment and AEDs.

6. There are abuses daily in the EMS system. Mostly people who have no transportation, no medical insurance or use medicaid. They see it as their god-given right to call for an ambulance to give them a ride to the hospital because they have a headache and need a couple asprin. Been there - seen that.

I've been a volunteer firefighter for 27 years now and in 3 states. It is hard work, endless hours of devotion, major sacrifices (including your family). Why? We love our community and would do what ever is necessary to help a person in need - even if it means losing our lives (and 115 firefighters did exactly that in 2007 - died in the line of duty).

Do you have what it takes to commit??? I sure hope so...because we need volunteers badly! It's so easy to sit back in your comfy chair, pecking away at the keyboard, nice and warm & dry while your volunteers are running RIGHT NOW in the cold rain to help someone who needs it.

Bash the volunteer system in this county? Not on my watch. STFU unless you are ready to volunteer yourself and become part of the solution. Hell - they would be happy to get you as a driver only! No EMT class needed - just CPR and all you would have to do is drive!

Paid medics? That just may need to happen and sooner than you think - but be ready to pay that cost. You can't whine about needing paid medics and then get to whine about the huge increase in taxes that would happen as a result.

Nuff said.

 

[Voter2002]

I am not from this area, have only been up for 2 years, and it scared me terribly to come back one afternoon and find a fire truck parked at our place of business. I ran in expecting who knows what just as the man was leaving to get back into the truck. My daughter started going " It's fine, Mom! We're all okay!" and my husband said for me to sit down because I was white as a sheet. The guy had just stopped by to pay his bill! My hubby is diabetic & I thought perhaps he was having an insulin reaction or something worse had happened. Where I am from in VA there is a Paramedic on every Firetruck. That's when I learned it was all volunteer here and what the ALS truck looks like. I have been really impressed so far with all I have seen from the volunteers and I think you are all very unselfish and you are to be commended for all you do.

Thank you on behalf of us volunteers. Much appreciated!

 

[BravoFarp]

1. The immediate solution to the lack of EMS/fire response is to get more volunteers...but even that takes a lot of time due to the initial training EMT's and firefighters must get. AND, there are less & less people volunteering these days - in part due to dual income families (mom & dad work full time and devote what is left of off work time to the kids and activities) and most employers not letting their volunteers leave work to respond to calls anymore. Most of those who do let their folks off to go require them to "make up" the time or use vacation days. There are VERY FEW employers who let their people off for a call because most of them could care less that it's the right thing to do to help the community. The almighty dollar rules.

2. Probably 95% of those who get trained as EMTs/firefighters/paramedics do it on their own time in the evenings after work. That's why it takes 4+ months to get even the EMT-B certification. I don't know of too many people who can take 3 weeks off work to attend a class full time during the day.

3. A lot of the EMTs/firefighters that respond to your calls in St. Mary's are career firefighters/paramedics in paid departments up the road like PG county, DC, Montgomery County, AA County. They also live and volunteer here in St. Mary's. That includes a huge chunk of the career firefighters on base - they also volunteer here in the community.

4. Paid? There is no "pay" for volunteers here in the county. After qualifying and serving a minimum of 3 years, a volunteer qualifies for a $3500 tax deduction. After 20 years of qualified service and after turning 55, they get $175 a month LOSAP money. Woo hoo!

5. If there is a call for a person not breathing or CPR in progress, a fire company is automatically dispatched to assist. They also carry BLS equipment and AEDs.

6. There are abuses daily in the EMS system. Mostly people who have no transportation, no medical insurance or use medicaid. They see it as their god-given right to call for an ambulance to give them a ride to the hospital because they have a headache and need a couple asprin. Been there - seen that.

I've been a volunteer firefighter for 27 years now and in 3 states. It is hard work, endless hours of devotion, major sacrifices (including your family). Why? We love our community and would do what ever is necessary to help a person in need - even if it means losing our lives (and 115 firefighters did exactly that in 2007 - died in the line of duty).

Do you have what it takes to commit??? I sure hope so...because we need volunteers badly! It's so easy to sit back in your comfy chair, pecking away at the keyboard, nice and warm & dry while your volunteers are running RIGHT NOW in the cold rain to help someone who needs it.

Bash the volunteer system in this county? Not on my watch. STFU unless you are ready to volunteer yourself and become part of the solution. Hell - they would be happy to get you as a driver only! No EMT class needed - just CPR and all you would have to do is drive!

Paid medics? That just may need to happen and sooner than you think - but be ready to pay that cost. You can't whine about needing paid medics and then get to whine about the huge increase in taxes that would happen as a result.

Nuff said.

 

[OldHillcrestGuy]

1. The immediate solution to the lack of EMS/fire response is to get more volunteers...but even that takes a lot of time due to the initial training EMT's and firefighters must get. AND, there are less & less people volunteering these days - in part due to dual income families (mom & dad work full time and devote what is left of off work time to the kids and activities) and most employers not letting their volunteers leave work to respond to calls anymore. Most of those who do let their folks off to go require them to "make up" the time or use vacation days. There are VERY FEW employers who let their people off for a call because most of them could care less that it's the right thing to do to help the community. The almighty dollar rules.

2. Probably 95% of those who get trained as EMTs/firefighters/paramedics do it on their own time in the evenings after work. That's why it takes 4+ months to get even the EMT-B certification. I don't know of too many people who can take 3 weeks off work to attend a class full time during the day.

3. A lot of the EMTs/firefighters that respond to your calls in St. Mary's are career firefighters/paramedics in paid departments up the road like PG county, DC, Montgomery County, AA County. They also live and volunteer here in St. Mary's. That includes a huge chunk of the career firefighters on base - they also volunteer here in the community.

4. Paid? There is no "pay" for volunteers here in the county. After qualifying and serving a minimum of 3 years, a volunteer qualifies for a $3500 tax deduction. After 20 years of qualified service and after turning 55, they get $175 a month LOSAP money. Woo hoo!

5. If there is a call for a person not breathing or CPR in progress, a fire company is automatically dispatched to assist. They also carry BLS equipment and AEDs.

6. There are abuses daily in the EMS system. Mostly people who have no transportation, no medical insurance or use medicaid. They see it as their god-given right to call for an ambulance to give them a ride to the hospital because they have a headache and need a couple asprin. Been there - seen that.

I've been a volunteer firefighter for 27 years now and in 3 states. It is hard work, endless hours of devotion, major sacrifices (including your family). Why? We love our community and would do what ever is necessary to help a person in need - even if it means losing our lives (and 115 firefighters did exactly that in 2007 - died in the line of duty).

Do you have what it takes to commit??? I sure hope so...because we need volunteers badly! It's so easy to sit back in your comfy chair, pecking away at the keyboard, nice and warm & dry while your volunteers are running RIGHT NOW in the cold rain to help someone who needs it.

Bash the volunteer system in this county? Not on my watch. STFU unless you are ready to volunteer yourself and become part of the solution. Hell - they would be happy to get you as a driver only! No EMT class needed - just CPR and all you would have to do is drive!

Paid medics? That just may need to happen and sooner than you think - but be ready to pay that cost. You can't whine about needing paid medics and then get to whine about the huge increase in taxes that would happen as a result.

Nuff said.

 

[FIREMAN]

We saved the tax payers 1.2 million dollars for a rural department in St. Marys county last year. That is just responding to calls. That does not included training, admin work or collateral dutys and no health benifits or retirement. Remember this is a single rural department in St. Marys County.

St. Mary's County you do the math.

 

[This_person]

1. The immediate solution to the lack of EMS/fire response is to get more volunteers...but even that takes a lot of time due to the initial training EMT's and firefighters must get. AND, there are less & less people volunteering these days - in part due to dual income families (mom & dad work full time and devote what is left of off work time to the kids and activities) and most employers not letting their volunteers leave work to respond to calls anymore. Most of those who do let their folks off to go require them to "make up" the time or use vacation days. There are VERY FEW employers who let their people off for a call because most of them could care less that it's the right thing to do to help the community. The almighty dollar rules.

So, the immediate solution is neither immediate, nor a solution?

Okay......

2. Probably 95% of those who get trained as EMTs/firefighters/paramedics do it on their own time in the evenings after work. That's why it takes 4+ months to get even the EMT-B certification. I don't know of too many people who can take 3 weeks off work to attend a class full time during the day.

Bully for them. Sounds like we need someone who could do it full time, put their full attention into it.

3. A lot of the EMTs/firefighters that respond to your calls in St. Mary's are career firefighters/paramedics in paid departments up the road like PG county, DC, Montgomery County, AA County. They also live and volunteer here in St. Mary's. That includes a huge chunk of the career firefighters on base - they also volunteer here in the community.

4. Paid? There is no "pay" for volunteers here in the county. After qualifying and serving a minimum of 3 years, a volunteer qualifies for a $3500 tax deduction. After 20 years of qualified service and after turning 55, they get $175 a month LOSAP money. Woo hoo!

And, that's $3500 off their taxes. Not off of the income towards taxes, off their taxes. I'll take $3500 anyday for my spare time hobby. I don't get any retirement pay for my hobby. So, yes, there is pay. Not much, and not worth it unless you're truly dedicated (as I believe the vast majority of volunteers are). Bravo to the volunteers for their commitment, time, dedication. But, pay is pay, and you get some.

5. If there is a call for a person not breathing or CPR in progress, a fire company is automatically dispatched to assist. They also carry BLS equipment and AEDs.

6. There are abuses daily in the EMS system. Mostly people who have no transportation, no medical insurance or use medicaid. They see it as their god-given right to call for an ambulance to give them a ride to the hospital because they have a headache and need a couple asprin. Been there - seen that.

Again, provide them with a discretionary service fee (discretionary in that the fee is only charged when deemed appropriate - like when insurance will pay {lowering out taxes} or the call is deemed "not an emergency", etc.) and you'll see the taxi calls greatly diminish

I've been a volunteer firefighter for 27 years now and in 3 states. It is hard work, endless hours of devotion, major sacrifices (including your family). Why? We love our community and would do what ever is necessary to help a person in need - even if it means losing our lives (and 115 firefighters did exactly that in 2007 - died in the line of duty).

And, your volunteered sacrifices are greatly appreciated and needed. Thank you!

Do you have what it takes to commit??? I sure hope so...because we need volunteers badly!

Not when there are better solutions, no. But I greatly appreciate those that do.

It's so easy to sit back in your comfy chair, pecking away at the keyboard, nice and warm & dry while your volunteers are running RIGHT NOW in the cold rain to help someone who needs it.

Yes, it is.

Bash the volunteer system in this county? Not on my watch. STFU unless you are ready to volunteer yourself and become part of the solution. Hell - they would be happy to get you as a driver only! No EMT class needed - just CPR and all you would have to do is drive!

I may have missed it, but who's bashing the volunteer system? As for me, I'm saying they've become overloaded, which point number one for you above shows you agree with. And, I'm trying to get those of you who are dedicated, committed, competant, trained, etc., etc., a livable paycheck to do what you're so dedicated to. If you're not dedicated enough to make it your career, there are others out there who are. Then, the burden is taken off of the overworked, underpaid, underappreciated volunteers. We simply don't have sufficient volunteers for the job, or we wouldn't need a separate ALS truck besides the ambulance - we'd have those people on the ambulance.

I'll ask again (and I'm sure I won't get an answer again, since I've asked it dozens of times before with no answer) - why is it that the concept of paid forces is viewed as bashing the volunteers? I'm not saying the call times are slow, I'm not saying the houses burn down while people are trying to get out of the Solomon's Fire House (like so many volunteers I've heard say), I'm not bashing a single volunteer or action of the services. I'm saying the load has gotten significantly higher than when the system began, and it may be overloading the system. Read your first point, and last paragraph, and you'll see we're saying the same thing with different solutions. Hoping the current system will suddenly become better is not, IMO, the best answer.

Paid medics? That just may need to happen and sooner than you think - but be ready to pay that cost. You can't whine about needing paid medics and then get to whine about the huge increase in taxes that would happen as a result.

They're working on it now, and it's about time. And, worth the money.

Nuff said.

I agree.

 

[ImnoMensa]

I agree with the post except for one major thing.

1. The immediate solution to the lack of EMS/fire response is to get more volunteers...but even that takes a lot of time due to the initial training EMT's and firefighters must get. AND, there are less & less people volunteering these days - in part due to dual income families (mom & dad work full time and devote what is left of off work time to the kids and activities) and most employers not letting their volunteers leave work to respond to calls anymore. Most of those who do let their folks off to go require them to "make up" the time or use vacation days. There are VERY FEW employers who let their people off for a call because most of them could care less that it's the right thing to do to help the community. The almighty dollar rules
*********************************************************
How many calls should your employer allow you to make each day.?
I dont believe they care less,but they run a business,and if you are off on the ambulance all day what is the point of having you in their employ?
Lets say three ambulance calls come in, in one day and you leave for all three. thats at least six hours he is paying you and you arent there.
Lets just say you make two calls a week that's 4 hours a week you arent there,and how important was what you were doing when you ran out.?

Is it really up to employers to subsidize the volunteer system?

Many employers let employees off for fires, but not ambulances.
Thats because fire calls are not so frequent and it takes more men for a fire call than an ambulance call.

Let's say I am a customer standing in front of you and I am in urgent need of something. The siren blows and you dissappear. Your employer then has to stop what he is doing and come to do your job.

That aint why he hired you.

IMO the employers who allow people to leave and go answer the whistle are to be commended,but I sure dont see how you can say the ones who dont allow it are wrong. It isnt all about dollars and cents its about getting the job done that you are hired to do.

Place yourself in their position and the money is coming out of your pocket, how many calls would you allow?

As the rate of ambulance and fire calls go up more and more it will become necessary to pay people who respond to these calls. Because at some point in time even those employers who allow you to leave will have to make a dcision.

 

[Voter2002]

I'll ask again (and I'm sure I won't get an answer again, since I've asked it dozens of times before with no answer) - why is it that the concept of paid forces is viewed as bashing the volunteers?

Never said the concept of having a paid force bashes volunteers (at least I don't think so...). But for whatever reason - and I have seen this first hand - once a person becomes a paid firefighter (or EMS), a lot of them, a good majority of them do look down on volunteers and bash them. They feel that collecting a paycheck makes them instantly superior over volunteers, even if they have LESS training and experience. The union has a lot to do with that. The historical attitude passed down from older paid firefighters. That is where the "bashing of volunteers" comes in play. I also think that volunteers take it as a personal attack when someone says "well maybe it's about time we have paid medics here". They feel threatened, like they are being accused of providing inferior service like some others on this thread have suggested.

As a volunteer in this county, I'll be the first to stand up and say if a paid medic is needed here, then do it. After all, myself and my family are not bullet proof or immune to accidents/injuries just because I volunteer.

BUT...that may be a long row to hoe only because of the substantial tax increase that will be required to make it happen. It may need to be coupled with a "pay-per-service" to help fund it - billing the patient's medical insurance. Either way, it's going to take awhile due to legislation, public hearings, meetings...meetings...more meetings. It's a lot more complicated than saying we need one and then flipping a switch and voila! Instant paid medics.

In the mean time, we need to get and train more volunteers to fill that time gap...not an immediate solution, but better than sitting around and "hoping" they get a paid medic service.

 

[Roxy1104]

I've seen SM County Life Support Units out and about on Rt 5 and also on Great Mills Road.

 

[Voter2002]

Is it really up to employers to subsidize the volunteer system?

IMO the employers who allow people to leave and go answer the whistle are to be commended,but I sure dont see how you can say the ones who dont allow it are wrong. It isnt all about dollars and cents its about getting the job done that you are hired to do.

Place yourself in their position and the money is coming out of your pocket, how many calls would you allow?

No - they are not wrong. They (the employers) need to be responsible and accountable to both the customer and the corporation.

I probably worded it wrong by saying they could care less. It is more of a position that they have their hands tied and can't allow it. I was just being nostalgic to back in the day when most of the volunteers were allowed to leave work for a fire call. Hell - we even stopped by the high school and picked a few kids up because they were allowed to leave school for a call. By and large, that doesn't happen anymore. Because of the almighty dollar, they can't afford to leave that customer standing at the counter. They can't afford to have their workforce leave at the drop of the whistle anymore because of tight deadlines, accountability, etc... Once upon a time, that customer standing at the counter would have understood as well as the boss who would step in to help the customer. These days, if a stiff breeze crosses a customer at the wrong angle, they get offended and stomp out in a huff, post angry messages on SOMD.com and demand that NO ONE ever visits that business due to extremely inferior customer service! So as a result, employers cannot afford to have their employees leave anymore.

The volunteer service is largely based upon people being able to drop whatever they were doing at the time, be it work or play, and respond to calls for help. But a huge chunk of that response is now disappearing because of not being able to leave work now. So, what's the answer? Beats me....I've been trying to figure that out for 27 years now.

 

[This_person]

Never said the concept of having a paid force bashes volunteers (at least I don't think so...). But for whatever reason - and I have seen this first hand - once a person becomes a paid firefighter (or EMS), a lot of them, a good majority of them do look down on volunteers and bash them. They feel that collecting a paycheck makes them instantly superior over volunteers, even if they have LESS training and experience. The union has a lot to do with that. The historical attitude passed down from older paid firefighters. That is where the "bashing of volunteers" comes in play. I also think that volunteers take it as a personal attack when someone says "well maybe it's about time we have paid medics here". They feel threatened, like they are being accused of providing inferior service like some others on this thread have suggested.

You didn't specifically say it, it's implied in the vociferous arguments against a paid service, with the immediate defense being response times and training of the volunteers. For the record (again) I'm not bashing the volunteers. They do a service that the rest of us choose not to do that is very necessary and selfless, and I appreciate each and every one of them for it.

As a volunteer in this county, I'll be the first to stand up and say if a paid medic is needed here, then do it. After all, myself and my family are not bullet proof or immune to accidents/injuries just because I volunteer.

BUT...that may be a long row to hoe only because of the substantial tax increase that will be required to make it happen. It may need to be coupled with a "pay-per-service" to help fund it - billing the patient's medical insurance. Either way, it's going to take awhile due to legislation, public hearings, meetings...meetings...more meetings. It's a lot more complicated than saying we need one and then flipping a switch and voila! Instant paid medics.

It would be interesting to see just how "substantial" that tax increase would need to be. Certainly not every station needs to go paid. How many calls a year does Valley Lee, or 7th District get? Now, how many for Lex Park or Hollywood? There are probably only a few stations that need to go paid. And, then, there are probably only a few stations of those that need to be 24/7. How many actual new employees are we talking about?

In the mean time, we need to get and train more volunteers to fill that time gap...not an immediate solution, but better than sitting around and "hoping" they get a paid medic service.

More volunteers may help short term, but how long have we been in dire need? The paid medic service is already in discussions (implementation discussions) at the CC level.

 

[ImnoMensa]

Never said the concept of having a paid force bashes volunteers (at least I don't think so...). But for whatever reason - and I have seen this first hand - once a person becomes a paid firefighter (or EMS), a lot of them, a good majority of them do look down on volunteers and bash them. They feel that collecting a paycheck makes them instantly superior over volunteers, even if they have LESS training and experience. The union has a lot to do with that. The historical attitude passed down from older paid firefighters. That is where the "bashing of volunteers" comes in play. I also think that volunteers take it as a personal attack when someone says "well maybe it's about time we have paid medics here". They feel threatened, like they are being accused of providing inferior service like some others on this thread have suggested.

As a volunteer in this county, I'll be the first to stand up and say if a paid medic is needed here, then do it. After all, myself and my family are not bullet proof or immune to accidents/injuries just because I volunteer.

BUT...that may be a long row to hoe only because of the substantial tax increase that will be required to make it happen. It may need to be coupled with a "pay-per-service" to help fund it - billing the patient's medical insurance. Either way, it's going to take awhile due to legislation, public hearings, meetings...meetings...more meetings. It's a lot more complicated than saying we need one and then flipping a switch and voila! Instant paid medics.

In the mean time, we need to get and train more volunteers to fill that time gap...not an immediate solution, but better than sitting around and "hoping" they get a paid medic service.

Gee our views differ a bit. What I have seen is that when a paid person speaks up at a volunteer company that person is told that just because he is paid that doesnt mean he is right ,and that they have been doing it this way so long that another way isnt what they want. My experience has been that volunteers dont want suggestions nor advice from paid people.

Your Statement:They feel that collecting a paycheck makes them instantly superior over volunteers, even if they have LESS training and experience"

to my view this is entirely opposite from my experience. The Volunteers feel they know what is best for their community and dont care to listen to professionals. Your statement is very telling of your own feelings. Obviously you feel that volunteers are superior and dont need advice, that your training trumps that of a paid professional. Somewhere in between there is a middle ground, but its hard to find and not worth the arguments it causes. I suppose thats why a lot of paid men quit volunteering , many of them by the way were volunteers before being paid. Most of the Volunteer Departments are pretty set in their ways and dont handle constructive criticism all that well. They seem to take anything other than their methods as personal attacks.

They provide a good and valuable service , I applaud them.

By the way pay for play wont work. The same people who abuse the ambulance are the same folks who dont have insurance, dont pay at the hospital and wont pay for the ambulance. It will go back to those having insurance paying for those who dont with higher charges, just like at the hospital.

 

[Voter2002]

Gee our views differ a bit. What I have seen is that when a paid person speaks up at a volunteer company that person is told that just because he is paid that doesnt mean he is right ,and that they have been doing it this way so long that another way isnt what they want. My experience has been that volunteers dont want suggestions nor advice from paid people.

Maybe that way for some of the volunteer departments here. The old "we've been doing it this way for 20 years...why change..." mentality. My department values the input of the career firefighters and we have in fact adopted a lot of their good practices. We just shun those paid firefighters who have the attitude that we (volunteers) are AFU and don't know what we are doing. They feel like they are god's gift to firefighting. Have had a couple of those in our department also.

Your Statement:They feel that collecting a paycheck makes them instantly superior over volunteers, even if they have LESS training and experience"
to my view this is entirely opposite from my experience. The Volunteers feel they know what is best for their community and dont care to listen to professionals.

Same answer as above. We do value the input and direction of career members. I don't have a problem with most of them. I only hate it when they come in and think their sh*t doesn't stink because there are a paid firefighter. A bulk of my volunteer experience came from being a volunteer in a big city fully paid department. Each station had volunteers to augment the career firefighters. We (volunteers) had to constantly endure sarcastic remarks that we were'nt REAL firefighters because we were volunteers, only doing it as a hobby. Unfortunately, several of those making those remarks were former volunteers themselves who got hired. They adopted the union attitude towards volunteers.

Your statement is very telling of your own feelings. Obviously you feel that volunteers are superior and dont need advice, that your training trumps that of a paid professional.

NEVER said that and don't feel that way at all. If you re-read my post you would see that I was talking about a few career firefighters who feel THEY are superior just because they collect a paycheck. We volunteers get the same training as career folks...it's based on a national standard from the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association). Volunteer or career...training is the same. Just the length of time to get it is different.

By the way pay for play wont work. The same people who abuse the ambulance are the same folks who dont have insurance, dont pay at the hospital and wont pay for the ambulance. It will go back to those having insurance paying for those who dont with higher charges, just like at the hospital.

On the contrary, pay for play does work - a good majority of our country already uses it. There will always be those who can't pay, who don't have insurance. That is just figured into the equation. So, by what you are saying is that because there are people who can't pay we shouldn't do it? If we follow that logic all hospitals should close also. You pay to play at the hospital and there are those who go there who can't pay also!