Clarification needed on first response program
COMMENTARY
By PHIL GOVER
President Fairfield Glade
Board of Directors
The headline and first paragraph of the June 4, 2015 Glade Sun newspaper article was incorrect and does not include all of the facts.
The First Responder program is a new program to Fairfield Glade in 2015. We have never had medical liability insurance for the Fairfield Glade Fire Department (FGFD) since it was not necessary. In late 2014 and early 2015 Cumberland County trained seven (7) of our Fairfield Glade firefighters to be First Responders when an ambulance was not available or there was a major incident in Fairfield Glade.
In April 2015, Fire Chief Dillman presented a proposed six (6) month pilot program for Fairfield Glade that would have First Responders at the fire station Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 hours each day.
In addition to the medical liability insurance of approximately $8,000 annually, First Responder labor costs were estimated to be $14,000 annually, and there would need to be some upgrades to the FGFD van in the amount of $2,500. Since the First Responder program is a Cumberland County program designed to help their EMS (Emergency Medical Services), your Community Club Board of Directors believed it is more appropriate for the County to fund this program. We will continue to urge Cumberland County to step up and fund their county-wide EMS program which includes Fairfield Glade.
However, our understanding from talking with Mayor Carey last Friday is that the proposed county budget is flat with no new expenditures being planned by the County Budget Committee. Therefore, we do not believe that Fairfield Glade will get any financial support from Cumberland County for the First Responder program at this time or in the near future.
In addition to the $94,000 commitment in our 2015 Community Club Budget for the Fairfield Glade Fire Department and a $10,000 donation for disaster equipment, the Fairfield Glade Community Club Board of Directors have voted to fund the Fairfield Glade First Responder program through the end of 2015. The Board will reevaluate the Fairfield Glade First Responder program as part of the 2016 budget process.
Since the FGFD is a separate 501(c) 3 organization, we encourage our Community Club members to make tax deductible contributions to them to help with their many needs. We would also encourage you to contact your District 9 County Commissioners — John Kinnunen ([email protected] and 931-267-5112) and Woody Geisler ([email protected] and 931-707-0366) — to encourage them to support County funding to include Fairfield Glade in this needed program.
I trust that this Eblast demonstrates to Community Club membership your Board of Directors commitment to community health and safety. I have requested that this same communication be published in the next issue of the Glade Sun newspaper.