Tom Schwab City Manager Speaks... the Next NEED.

Thomas Schwab is city manager of Grand Terrace, population 13,000, which also does not have a fire-based paramedic service but is working on getting one. "Most people, when they see that fire engine show up in an emergency, just assume that paramedic advance-life-support service is there, and in our case it isn", he said. "So I just think we ought to bring ourselves up to what's basically a community standard in most communities, at least in California."

The Rest of the Story:

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/20061206/hope-to-save-lives


Gramps Asks for a moment of THOUGHT:

I see a FirePerson, I think First Aid and CPR, and O2 and Perhaps a Deferbulator and monitor for the old ticker. I don't think of major surgery, or DRUGS, or even an IV drip. Nope, stop the bleeding, get or keep the ticker pumping and get to the hospital. I have seen it take an ambulance longer to get to LL than it would have taken to drive. If the heart is beating, go to the Hospital, if it isn't do CPR till help gets there.

Grand Terrace is not a typical City... and should caution Tom Schwab from yet another Grand Concept as having a EMT for the CITY ONLY. First of all our Fire Department Responds to More than just GT, and so would our EMT. Second Most city's don't have Loma Linda University, Redlands Community, Kaiser Riverside, Kaiser Fontana, and all the other options close in hand.

Could the City Rent a Parking an Ambulance/EMT Service to Park for Advanced Placement of a Response Unit. After all We are located between Freeways, and Hospitals... IF there was a Parking Place and a Restroom for the Employee it seems that GT would be a Prime Advance Location for an Ambulance EMT Service. The other issue is who would get the service only people with medical insurance can afford this kind of service and usually family members have to be the first responders, and get folks to the hospital in time.

The horror story of a person's death by sauce is in part that persons fault for not having an Epi Pen in their possession 24/7. If you have extreme allergic reactions you should carry your own medications. Thinking an EMT will get there in time is an error in planning.

Before for we take on saving every life in the world, how about addressing what more of us need and that is transportation to and from the doctor not on an emergency... a reasonable taxi service, or a give a lift program... where citizen volunteers are paid for giving rides to seniors and non drivers. Now that is within a budget.

Perhaps the City Could buy a van for Public Use in Emergency so we can drive our Elders to the hospital.... on an as needed basis... some of us don't have city provided cars or trucks for our private use.

I