Dear St. Louis Fire:
This is
an open letter to try to help you and the city solve your ambulance problem.
Allow me to qualify this with something I think needs to be stated, St. Louis
Fire does an excellent job in delivering EMS. It is clear that your current
model delivers excellent care and allows EMS to govern its own. You also have a
robust mutual aid system utilizing your local private Advanced Life Support
providers to ensure your citizens are well taken care of in times of system
overload. Overall your system is to be respected.
So here
comes the criticism. I recently read that you are wanting to increase the taxes
on your citizens to purchase several new trucks at a cost of two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars apiece. Now, far be it from me to begrudge any ambulance
upfitter the significant increase this will make to their bottom line, but I
can’t see this as the best solution for the taxpayers of St. Louis. So I will
try to point out a better solution.
As a
paramedic in a Urban setting, I understand the city can be busy and restocking
can be difficult so there is a need for modular units. So that has to be part
of your bid process. But in my humble opinion, wouldn’t the city be better
served by moving to a type 3 Sprinter Modular unit.
While it has
been a while since I speced out an ambulance, but I would bet that a sprinter
Type 3 with custom interior designed to your needs would save between seventy
five and one hundred thousand dollars. It will also fuel costs and have lower
maintenance costs. These savings could be used to put more crews on the streets
improving coverage.
It seems to me that St. Louis should
continue their tradition of proving that Fire Based EMS can provide excellence.
Many places don’t hold up to scrutiny, but St. Louis has. The City of St.
Louis, and its citizens would thank you. Please continue providing the amazing
care you are known for.
Just a humble suggestion,
Lone Medic.
