EMS Letter to the Community
Posted November 11, 2014 at 5:38 am by Tim Dustrude
Here’s a note from San Juan Island EMS…
Dear Community,
Thank you for voting on the EMS levy. We respect your decision. Yes, we are disappointed, but are resolved to continue our mission of serving our community with excellence and quality.
- First, we will try to maintain essential services despite our current financial constraints. We will further scrutinize every dollar we spend.
- Second, in an effort to maintain essential services, we will review expenses and forestall capital improvements and equipment purchases.
- Third, if revenues cannot sustain essential services, we must reduce or eliminate our long standing benefit of “no out of pocket costs for District residents” for 911 and ground ambulance services.
Going forward, we will continue to serve our community to the best of our ability, and appreciate all those who support this effort.
Sincerely,
Chief Jim Cole, San Juan Island EMS
Dr. J. Michael Edwards, SJCPHD#1 Chairperson
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Categories: Around Here
One comment:
One comment...
Um, classic SJI EMS response. You didn’t support our levy, so now we’re going to threaten you with service reductions. Yes, that response is understandable and even predictable, but it’s hardly appropriate- and certainly setting up a dynamic of antagonism with your voters isn’t the right tack to take. Honestly, if I were part of this agency, I’d be taking a serious look at my leadership. It’s not like SJI residents don’t value EMS, it’s just that EMS has done a horrible job of making it’s case. Now would be time for EMS to be contrite, and say, “you’re right voters, we’ve presented a confusing situation to you twice, and probably asked for too much.” Our next levy will be for less, and yes, we are going to make some hard decisions within our organization about salaries and positions and fancy stainless steel appliances, and bring things more into alignment with what you (the voters) are willing to accept.” Let’s face it, the EMS empire got a little carried away with itself, and the recent message from the voters is that it needs to be trimmed a bit. There’s no reason that can’t be done without sacrificing quality of care. Less bluster and threat from Cole and Edwards and more cooperation, honest assessment, and reconciliation with the electorate. And someone should be wondering if these guys are really the ones for the job.
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