EMS Professionals in Connecticut Express Concerns Over Possible Cuts to Emergency Services
March 6, 2009
Members of Local 294, EMS professionals with Hunters Ambulance of Connecticut, recently distributed a press release voicing their concerns over proposed cuts to Emergency Services in Central Connecticut.
Citing statistics from a number of recent news articles in the Hartford Courant and the Meriden Record Journal, members of Local 294 expressed their worries about proposed funding cuts to Hartford Hospital's Life Star Critical Care Helicopter Service as well as state trooper operations located in a number of small towns. Local 294 is also concerned with the possible closing of Meriden Fire Station Number Three, which would mean a reduction in the available services to the residents of Meriden and the surrounding communities.
"The residents of Connecticut have come to rely on the quick and timely response from a multi-tiered system," said Local 294 President James Madsen. "This system starts with the first responders, the Fire and Police Departments, and then ambulance care and transport by highly trained professionals. Life Star Helicopter is the 'Gold Standard' for rapid transport. All of these levels are designed to save your life and a reduction at any level of this chain could hamper our ability to help."
Members of Local 294 are worried about the impact these financial cutbacks will have on the EMS industry as a whole in Central Connecticut, and that these cuts could ultimately slow response times from EMS, Fire and Police units.
"If we do not have an adequate response from our police, fire and Life Star partners, we cannot effectively respond to a family member needing urgent medical attention following a car accident or any variety of emergency calls we field on a daily basis," said Local 294 Senior Steward Eric Heidtman. "I don't think the general public or local politicians understand how far resources are already stretched in Central Connecticut."
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