Firefighters Could Gain New Role Under Proposed Bill

Julette Saussy, medical director for New Orleans Health Department EMS, the primary 911 EMS provider for Orleans Parish, is voicing her opposition to a bill before the Louisiana Legislature:

Saussy heads up all emergency medical services in Orleans Parish. She said proposed House Bill 1030, written by state Rep. Karen St. Germain from the Baton Rouge area, makes all firefighters exempt from any medical or emergency oversight when they’re at a scene.

Oh, HELL no.

I’m having a hard time figuring out how to say “bad idea” forcefully enough without resorting to profanity, but it’s hard when I read stuff like this.

Let me put this as succinctly as I can:

When you’re a firefighter/medic, working in a dual role agency, your primary job is providing medical care, Sparky. You’re an EMT 80% of the time, and a firefighter only 20% of the time, despite how much you wish it were otherwise. And even if you don’t want to act like providing emercency medical care is your primary responsibility, that doesn’t change the fact that when you’re on a scene, you’re an EMT just like those boys in Acadian green, or the navy blue of NOHD and East Baton Rouge EMS.

That means you’re subject to the same regulations, disciplinary processes, and medical oversight just like any other EMT who didn’t happen to roll up the scene in a vehicle with as many lug nuts as yours – and that includes your fellow lug nuts wearing turnout gear.

You’re no better than any other EMT, and in quite a few instances, you’re a lot worse. Grow up and learn to play by the rules like everyone else.

Or drop your EMT certs and go back to dragging hose, and leave the emergency medical care to the professionals.

If you live in Louisiana, please call your state legislator and voice your opposition to this bill, and that goes double if you’re an EMT.

If you happen to be a Louisiana firefighter/medic who thinks this bill is a good idea, carefully reconsider your position. Do you really think that firefighter EMTs should be held to a lesser standard than those who don’t fight fires?