I'll do one better, I'll tell you why paramedics don't want to work here, why it takes months to find a paramedic willing to work in Dolan, and why volunteers are needed.
It's no wonder it's hard finding firefighter paramedics for the area. Who would want to move here as a firefighter? There's no advancement, nothing for their kids, we lost the high school.
With the response times for the ambulance, saving someone from sudden cardiac arrest doesn't happen here. You can't imagine how frustrating that is to a paramedic.
You have 6 minutes to use an AED Automatic External Defibrillator or have a paramedic arrive and use a difibrillator. After that 6 minutes, the chance of survival drops to near zero.
The last Saturday community meeting Vince was complaining about people not wanting to move to Dolan because we lost the high school. Why would a paramedic or anyone else with children want to move here?
No high school, when the paramedic would be on calls in Kingman, he would know his family was unprotected for medical emergencies, and fire until he returned.
40 years ago I did my firefighter training on a three story cement training tower. Have you seen the LMRFD training tower? It's that little white wood shack behind the fire station. I know, no money.....
So unless you live here what investment do you have in Dolan Springs. You were either born here, or moved here because you're retired, and property is cheap.
When someone is seeking a firefighting job for the fire district look up Dolan Spring AZ in City Data, the heading is, "Don't Go Here", "Dolan Springs is nothing but retirees, bums, thieves, druggies, escapees from who-knows-what, and other ne'er do wells". (1) NOT MY WORDS
Much of the worst comment I left out, but it goes on to finish, "This is a poor town, a lot of people here aren't able to drive to Kingman all the time.
Most of the homes here are ramshackle and unkempt. I could go on, but if you want to move here for the scenery, great---until someone in the next lot over builds a 3 story home and blocks all your wonderful view! Or, if you want to move here for the clean water, go ahead---the prices keep rising and the grossly mismanaged water company doesn't seem to want to run more water lines OR show ya any latest water test results. Or...if ya wanna move here for the clean air, good for you!...the wind blows constantly, dust, pollen and trash blowing everywhere, all the time. Hooooowdy, stranger!" (1)So please tell me who is going to rush to Dolan Springs to join the LMRFD? The only people who have an investment in the community and care about it's future are people who live here.
At best the fire district will spend months trying to find someone to work here. They'll use the LMRFD to gain experience so they can advance to a larger, safer, and more progressive fire department, leaving us to start the search all over again.
Volunteers are the only one's who have an investment in Dolan Springs and Meadview.
TRAINING COSTS
The chief said it costs $1500 to run a call.
As I understand it's about $1500 to train a Basic EMT
The nonprofit ambulance bills about $600,000 a year.
Correction ..... The LMRFD billed close to $600,000.00 but only received $237,807.00. Thank you for pointing out our small fire districts nonprofit ambulance lost $362,000.00 that year.
Update October 2016
Another reason the LMRFD can't find paid or volunteer firefighters or EMT's. Their "Drug Free Workplace Policy" that says employees can't consume alcohol even on days off. As I read the policy if it says, "alcohol is included within the meaning and prohibition of drugs" that means it can't be used anytime by employees.
LMRFD Drug Testing Policy
Drug and Alcohol Testing: In order to assure a drug-free work environment, the District prohibits the use, sale, transfer, being under the influence and/or reporting to work after using or ingesting illicit drugs in accordance with department policies. Under District policy, alcohol is included within the meaning and prohibition of drugs. Successful passage of drug testing will be condition for employment and continued employment.
This policy doesn't make sense in a rural area with limited employee and volunteer resources. Last I checked alcohol was a legal substance. To not allow a volunteer to have a beer at the weekend family BBQ will not go you any volunteers. Current firefighters have been seen drinking alcohol with no repercussion. It's a double standard to allow current employees to consume alcohol while telling any new employees or volunteers that "under District policy, alcohol is included within the meaning and prohibition of drugs".
You hit the nail on the head, for sure. One detail missing, though, is the fact that no one here wants to volunteer, either. I cannot figure out why you are here, as you have nothing good to say about the area or its people. Do you hate it so badly here that you get some perverse pleasure in destroying the one little thread of hope we have left in the proposed consolidation with NACFD?
ReplyDeleteI love it here, and unlike those who think no one in Dolan could run a mile, or pass a background check because of felonies.
DeleteI know there are people in Dolan who care enough volunteer. I think there are good people here who care about others in the community and would give a little time to save lives.
The quote about Dolan was from City Data, not me.
I'm tried of people thinking of Dolan as tweakers and outlaws. It's thinking like yours that no one here cares enough to volunteer that promotes that kind of thinking.
I've read the comments about Dolan in City Data too. And living near Meadview, I've heard similar comments about Dolan -- nothing good. I moved here in 2000 because property was cheap and I love the desert, Had I known about Dolan what I know now, I would have moved to Dolan when moved to more remote place. I only knew the Dolan you see when driving to Vegas, which btw has GREATLY improved in recent years. It really did look trashy 15 years ago.
DeleteAnd I do remember that there were MANY volunteers for the Meadview fire department some years ago. In fact, Cary even volunteered to fix the trucks and ambulance for free.
With all the fire department problems and consolidation and a guy getting paid $7,000/month, I'm not sure how many people want to volunteer anymore.
Also, growing up in a small village, becoming a volunteer fire fighter was very appealing to young guys and there aren't many young people here. Of course that was in the old days, when people were still allowed to have fun while working / volunteering and partying was part of the deal.
We don't need volunteer firefighters, we need volunteer EMT's so response times give someone in cardiac arrest a chance, or stop the bleeding of a trauma victim.
DeleteThere is no need for someone to be a firfighter to be an EMT and help with the nonprofit ambulance. State law allows for ambulance drivers with no medical training. A volunteer could drive the ambulance to these fires with injuries so the paramedics could treat the injured.
I am speaking from 10 years of experience here about the volunteer situation. There is certainly nothing stopping you from starting a volunteer group of medics. I don't believe you need to destroy the process underway in order to do that.
ReplyDeleteBTW, your stats on the ambulance billing about $600,000 a year should include the actual ambulance receivable for the FY 14/15 at $237,807.
10 years ago didn't they have volunteers? 3 years ago didn't they have 7 ambulances, paid and volunteer firefighters? Ft Mohave, Mohave Valley, Yucca, all areas much smaller than our fire district have volunteers. Meadview still has 6 volunteers, and Dolan has none.
DeleteWe spend $600,000.00 on personal costs for this small department, and volunteers cost too much.
I guess you didn't read my reply to one of your other posts about volunteers, and the LMRFD experience with that over the past 10 years. I explained why the volunteer program went away. We had one volunteer remaining in Dolan 3 years ago. Meadview volunteers are aging and falling off the roster. There are no new ones stepping up to replace them. Bobby Porzio has explained that repeatedly at the monthly meetings.
DeletePeople step up, no one calls back. When we moved her 2 1/2 years ago I called the fire department and asked about volunteering. Someone did call back and said I needed to live in the fire district, I told them I did live in the fire district. No one ever called back.
DeleteSo people do step forward, no one follows up.
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DeleteThree years ago we had 7 ALS ambulances 4 rescue rigs, and lots of manpower. It's not right Meadview has 6 volunteers, and Dolan has none. I see they won't let the volunteers fight fire any longer due to insurance cost.
ReplyDeleteFT Mohave, Mohave Valley, Yucca all have volunteers with areas about 1 1/10 of the LMRFD CON.
Yes there are people who want to volunteer. I called the fire departmennt when we moved here 2 1/2 years ago. I asked about volunteering, they said I had to live in the fire district, I said I did, and no one ever called back.
2 1/2 years ago the LMRFD was going through a financial meltdown. Some personnel stayed and worked for 6 weeks without pay and without any promise of ever being paid, just to keep the doors open and provide basic services to the community. It was a nightmare time for all of us. When the County finally took over and hired John Flynn & Chief Moore to put us back on track, there followed massive layoffs of remaining personnel, massive cutbacks in spending on all levels, and uncertainty as to whether the County would continue to support us as John & Chief attempted to pull us out of nearly a million$ in debt. Those that stayed took huge cuts in pay and in hours, and loss of all benefits, except for the Firefighters PSPRS retirement plan, which John Flynn and Chief Moore fought to preserve. To tell you the truth, there was no time, energy, money or personnel to even consider a volunteer program at that time. Nor has there been for the last 2.5 years, as we have run with skeleton crews in all departments. You have vociferously commented repeatedly on the inadequacy of our 3 personnel to meet the fire and ems demands of our fire district. How do you propose they add training of volunteers to their activities? A community organized volunteer support group would have been most welcome many times.
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