Guaranteed it will be back. There are jobs at the BFD that depend on it. Just ask their EMS Chief what he’ll be doing if they dont get an ambulance on the street.

I think it is laughable that Ada County Paramedics loves calling the kettle black!

Just call Ada-Boi and NPA and ask how many jobs they have lost from a PUBLICALLY FUNDED agency putting their medics out of work! A whole bunch more than ONE Boise Fire ambulance would do to Ada County. Oh, dare I say that Ada County Paramedics is actually doing what they so quick to accuse Boise Fire Department of doing? Ada County Paramedics are subsidized with tax money from an ambulance taxing district, they are also the sole provider for 911 calls (so they can charge whatever they feel like!), and yet they are out there underbidding private industry medics (yes, putting them out of work), and doing it for what? the good nature of the citizens of Ada County? not on your life, they are doing it to BOOST REVENUE!!!! Yet, they are the ones that accuse the City of underhanded buisness practices and then trying to keep it quiet. Maybe thier motivation for fighting the Boise Fire ambulance less about a “fragmented system,” and more about solidifying their place as the only provider of anything EMS in Ada County. Maybe they just don’t like the idea of COMPETITION.

EDITOR NOTE–That is one of the reasons the GUARDIAN opposed the ordinance that would have allowed the county monopoly. We just don’t want to duplicate service in the city or jeopardize the county system when it comes to the PUBLIC sector.

I watched the meeting video, and have one question for Sharon Ullman: Why were you against the ACP Ord. limiting the cities ablities in running transport when you weren’t a commish, but did a 180 degree turn now that you are a commish. You stated it like a point of pride during the meeting

Observer,
If we were to follow your line of thinking, would we have NPA and Ada Boi in the 911 business? Guess what, there’s no money to be made running a 911 agency. They don’t want anything to do with it. NPA lost their shirt trying to run the 911 response gig in Mountain Home. Ada Boi has always passed on getting into the 911 gig because they know there’s no cash in it.

To take your thinking one step further, when you take the 911 service out of the interfacility transfer business(the guaranteed paycheck), your taxpayers end up having to pay more to fund the 911 money loser. The only way that an EMS agency is cheap and effective is typically if they have the market cornered (both 911, interfacility, CCT, standbys, the works). Should the service be run by the government? That is where the logic breaks down. If you put a private in the driver’s seat and make them swim, they will find efficiencies that a government run service typically will not.

The answer then is to either make ACEMS a private service contracted by the Ambulance District and let them compete for the contract with AMR, Rural Metro, Ada Boi, NPA, etc… (not that the market’s big enough here for AMR or RM to even show interest)

Nemo,contracts are there for a reason. You can demand performance. If we, the taxpaying citizens of ada county demanded a private service to provide the reliability and professionalism of the current EMS program, we could mandate that in a performance based contract. And I am willing to bet that the private service would bite off on the demands and still be able to provide the service at a lower cost. Why does the government have to be involved? Are you saying that Ada County government has a monopoly on reliability and professionalism? That is laughable. Whatever the value you add, the private industry can deliver the same product cheaper.

Fed Up,
I have talked to friends in cities which have privates, and they operate without a tax subisdy. I admit that a town like Mountain Home is not attractive to private industry, so the taxpayer must decide their level of service, but Boise is biggest enough that I believe privates will be chomping at the bit to come in here.

Watching too,

First of all, I think I should make myself clear. I didnt say that Ada County had a monopoly on on professionalism and reliability. I did say however that they other guys could , but dont. Yes they are cheaper..but perhaps you get what you pay for. You pay McDonnalds prices, you get McDonnalds EMS. Thats capitalism too.

Now I had a whole page written out on plusses and minuses of performance contracts, and the private vs. PUM (Public Utility Model) vs. 3rd service/tax base funded….but it seems that you and I are the only ones interested in that detailed of a conversation. If you would like to carry it on on the side, post an email and we can carry it on.

Now as for your friends in other cities, if ALL your looking at is taxpayer subsidy (cost) , I suggest you look at more. Just as when you buy a car, cost is only one issue. And there is more to cost than just the money you spend initially….

Again we get back to the three sided coin..Cheaper (all costs- Charges, Taxes, subsidys) Faster , and better….

Which is what this discussion is about…..

Again, something the BFD seems not to want to discuss.

EDITOR NOTE–Boise Mayor Dave Bieter has sent a letter to the Ada Commishes asking to discuss specific areas of emergency service. In the same letter he said plans for an ambulance are currently on “hold.”

Last I checked, ACEMS represents about 30% of the EMS system in Ada County–yet collects 100% of the taxes.

ACEMS would never be able to make it without the services provided by the Meridian, Boise and Eagle fire departments.