(Un)Professional Emergency Medical Services

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Halcyon1990's avatar
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I'm down in Rock Springs again, and I picked up the paper to see what is going on. There were two private ambulance services here until a couple of weeks ago, when one closed.

So why did the one service close?

Well, the other service, which always buys brand new things—paramedic command SUVs which it doesn't need, and other crap—and has paramedics obviously trained in barns, went to the county commissioners last year, secretly, and asked for $165,000 to "remain in business." They presented it as a dire need, lest the area be without ambulance service because they couldn't pay their employees. Note, though, that they could afford all the new gadgets and stuff.

Nothing came of it, and they went last week and asked for $200,000 to pay staff for the next 3 months. The commissioners agreed to pay them $63,000, so the other service just threw up its hands and shut down.

Now the real kicker is that the service and commissioners NEVER EVEN REVIEWED ANY FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS! Period! None were ever presented! Seriously, people? I don't live here anymore, but my parents do, and that's their tax money. Oh, and they asked why they didn't go to the city, and the service said that "no one wanted to review anything." The REAL reason is that the city REVOKED all their contracts for fraud and poor medical care.

I wrote a letter to the editor, which I also posted to the service's public-outreach Facebook page.  Here's the letter I wrote, and their response. (Link for a picture, and I'll put the text down below.)  

fav.me/d4u92ys

Lucas Necessary: The news about Sweetwater Medics receiving county money is upsetting for a variety of reasons. A private enterprise should not be dependent upon taxpayer money, and if it is, it should cease being private and convert to a 3rd service, locally run as a government operation, much as the fire department and law enforcement are.

Furthermore, the vote to fund Sweetwater Medics, without review of financial documents, is both unethical (what if all government expenditures were run this way) and fiscally irresponsible. This mismanagement of government funding should not be tolerated by the taxpayers, and the lack of transparency is a strike against Sweetwater Medics. Regardless of whether or not a financial review was requested, the management of Sweetwater Medics, as taxpayers themselves, should have demanded a thorough review prior to this vote. No taxpayer should be pleased with uniformed government expenditures, especially not to fund a private endeavor—at the very best, it sets a massively poor precedent. Perhaps the county should consider operating a third, fully-funded, government-operated tier of emergency response, instead of allowing private entities to prosper through taxpayer-funded survival.

If the Rocket Miner has its facts regarding this collaboration of Sweetwater Medics and the county incorrect, Sweetwater Medics should be striving to make the truth known. As it is, it reeks of misuse of funding, poor government planning, and a management style that would surely leave any individual bankrupt.

Sincerely,

(Me)

PS-In the interest of full disclosure, I once briefly worked for a competing service which itself managed money in such a poor manner that I resigned.




Response by Sweetwater Medics Ambulance: Wow Lucas! Obviously you know nothing not to mention are a coward hiding behind the name Lucas Un necessary. Better name more fitting may be Dick Nibbler! Wonder where your overwhelming concern for fiscal responsibility was several years ago when the County was paying Vase one million a year? Paying their people 7.00 an hour, and never buying any new, current, or updated equipment. Truth is call volume has doubled and people with insurance has decreased. Yes we are a private entity although get treated and dispatched as an essential service. One that is unable to respond or not due to the financial situation of the person them selves. Our men and women work tireless hours and endure low pay due to ignorant people such as yourself that believe it should be free. If you ever grow up, and come out of the closet. Come down and schedule a ride along day with us to get a real feel for what we see daily. Oh that's right you once worked around here. Funny thing is there has never been an employee by the name Lucas Necessary. Dumb ass!




Anyway, apparently my new superhero name might be Dick Nibbler.   The above is an example of the type of medical service I'd not want to help me in my time of need.  It's unprofessional and deplorable, to say the least.

That's all for now!
© 2012 - 2024 Halcyon1990
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lafemmefatal143's avatar
It's awesome that you stood up, and hopefully opened the minds of some people in Sweetwater. Unfortunately, the damage has been done, and you know as well as I do that the sheeple will do what you tell them.