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I have a bit of information that the town of Kearny should know about. Kearny Ems has ran out of money!!!! They only have enough to operate for the next few weeks. and the town government has no idea what to do.

KOTW Note: The above information has not been confirmed.

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I have a bit of information that the town of Kearny should know about.  Kearny Ems has ran out of money!!!! They only have enough to operate for the next few weeks.  and the town government has no idea what to do.

KOTW Note: The above information has not been confirmed.

WONDERFUL!!!! Here we go again!!!!

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I have a bit of information that the town of Kearny should know about.  Kearny Ems has ran out of money!!!! They only have enough to operate for the next few weeks.  and the town government has no idea what to do.

KOTW Note: The above information has not been confirmed.

Just what is the status of our EMS squad ?

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I have a bit of information that the town of Kearny should know about.  Kearny Ems has ran out of money!!!! They only have enough to operate for the next few weeks.  and the town government has no idea what to do.

KOTW Note: The above information has not been confirmed.

SANTOS & CO. HAVE SCREWED THIS THING UP FROM DAY ONE!!

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Guest Clara Barton

Is it true that the firedepartment is manning the ambulance when the kvers members are not there?

And if so do we pay them more of are they already compinsated as an emt?

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Guest Guest of Guests

If ift was up to the town they would have the Red Cross provide the EMS service to the town for free and probably try to charge them for their voluntery services!!!

Is it true that the firedepartment is manning the ambulance when the kvers members are not there?

And if so do we pay them more of are they already compinsated as an emt?

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Actually for the past two years KVERS has been a paid organization that was contracted by the town, not run by it. KVERS EMTs are paid professional EMTS. KVERS is funded by what insurance pays (which is not much), the town has not provided any money as the contract was a zero bid. This is similar to the agreement with EMTAC in the past. The Fire Department acts as first responders on some calls and do not have an ambulance. If you are all so concerned about saving money, you should write or call the mayor and state you want EMS through the town via the Fire Department or request a seperate EMS agency rather than contract out to a private company.

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Guest StudiesandObservations
maby they should after reading todays paper

It's kind of hard for them to do that since Kearny EMS is now essentially a private entity...Which has been my issue with the way this has been done since the Town allowed KEMS to get the contract. IF they are a private entity, and only contracted to the town, then are they paying Rent to the Town for the building??? and, WHY are the ambulances still registered with "MG" plates, and assumingly, insured by the town?? This is a Liability issue that i'm surprised the Mayor, being an attorney himself, didnt recognize.

The solution, is simple, and i'll say it once again. Let the Fire Dept have oversight and control over the EMS..HOWEVER..lets not man the ambulances with Firemen. Like it or not, KFD's manpower is somewhat critical, and a firefighter who is assigned to the Ambulance CANNOT be used to fight a fire, and vice-versa. Instead, have the town HIRE EMT's..as Town Employees, pay them a decent Salary, and give them benefits. I Garuntee you would have people lined up to fill out applications if it was done this way, and the town would have some control over the EMS service which it doesnt right now. There's an "Advisory Board" but they really dont have the oversight that the town would have with its own employees.

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It's kind of hard for them to do that since Kearny EMS is now essentially a private entity...Which has been my issue with the way this has been done since the Town allowed KEMS to get the contract.  IF they are a private entity, and only contracted to the town, then are they paying Rent to the Town for the building??? and, WHY are the ambulances still registered with "MG" plates, and assumingly, insured by the town??  This is a Liability issue that i'm surprised the Mayor, being an attorney himself, didnt recognize.

  The solution, is simple, and i'll say it once again.  Let the Fire Dept have oversight and control over the EMS..HOWEVER..lets not man the ambulances with Firemen.  Like it or not, KFD's manpower is somewhat critical, and a firefighter who is assigned to the Ambulance CANNOT be used to fight a fire, and vice-versa.  Instead, have the town HIRE EMT's..as Town Employees, pay them a decent Salary, and give them benefits.  I Garuntee you would have people lined up to fill out applications if it was done this way, and the town would have some control over the EMS service which it doesnt right now.  There's an "Advisory Board"  but they really dont have the oversight that the town would have with its own employees.

Y don't u ask Harrison FD how they manage with there EMSs & fire calls ? they have fireman / EMT driving the ambulance and going on fire calls

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Guest Mr Kearny
It's kind of hard for them to do that since Kearny EMS is now essentially a private entity...Which has been my issue with the way this has been done since the Town allowed KEMS to get the contract.  IF they are a private entity, and only contracted to the town, then are they paying Rent to the Town for the building??? and, WHY are the ambulances still registered with "MG" plates, and assumingly, insured by the town??  This is a Liability issue that i'm surprised the Mayor, being an attorney himself, didnt recognize.

  The solution, is simple, and i'll say it once again.  Let the Fire Dept have oversight and control over the EMS..HOWEVER..lets not man the ambulances with Firemen.  Like it or not, KFD's manpower is somewhat critical, and a firefighter who is assigned to the Ambulance CANNOT be used to fight a fire, and vice-versa.  Instead, have the town HIRE EMT's..as Town Employees, pay them a decent Salary, and give them benefits.  I Garuntee you would have people lined up to fill out applications if it was done this way, and the town would have some control over the EMS service which it doesnt right now.  There's an "Advisory Board"  but they really dont have the oversight that the town would have with its own employees.

They should call you InTheKnow. I hear that the town is in the process of hiring EMT's as we speek. Who is going to oversee them. KFD? KPD?

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Guest StudiesandObservations
They should call you InTheKnow.  I hear that the town is in the process of hiring EMT's as we speek.  Who is going to oversee them. KFD?  KPD?

InTheKnow is someone else, i wish i HAD known that they were actually doing that, alas i dont have your sources Mr Kearny, I was just repeating the same thing i've just repeated the same thing i've said many tims in the past. IMO, it should be overseen by the FD, since they already DO EMS duties as First Responders. As far as Harrison FD running their own ambulance, That's all well and good, and Yes they DO manage to function...However, as a taxpayer, what would YOU rather the town do, Pay a Firefighter for whatever their top pay is (Anyone know??), or pay an EMT in the $30-35K range to do the same job???

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Guest Mr Kearny
InTheKnow is someone else, i wish i HAD known that they were actually doing that, alas i dont have your sources Mr Kearny, I was just repeating the same thing i've just repeated the same thing i've said many tims in the past.  IMO, it should be overseen by the FD, since they already DO EMS duties as First Responders.  As far as Harrison FD running their own ambulance, That's all well and good, and Yes they DO manage to function...However, as a taxpayer, what would YOU rather the town do, Pay a Firefighter for whatever their top pay is (Anyone know??), or pay an EMT in the $30-35K range to do the same job???

If it was up to me i would back the ambulances into the firehouses and MAKE then ride it along with firefighting duties. And no i would not give them any extra money. Since they only work two days a week i feel that we (As tax payers) should get our moneys worth. And since the chief was one of the highest paied in Hudson County i am sure that the firefighters are also one of the higest.

What is your idea iStudiesandObservations?

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Guest StudiesandObservations
If it was up to me i would back the ambulances into the firehouses and MAKE then ride it along with firefighting duties.  And no i would not give them any extra money.  Since they only work two days a week i feel that we (As tax payers) should get our moneys worth.  And since the chief was one of the highest paied in Hudson County i am sure that the firefighters are also one of the higest.

What is your idea iStudiesandObservations?

Posted my idea earlier in the thread..and in a dozen others or so over the years :D Well if that is the solutiion the town adopts, just remember that if it's your home that's on fire when the crews are doing ambulance runs, and cant come to put the fire out. ..Firefighters should be available to fight fires..When they're on Ambulance duty they are NOT available for their primary jobs. Let's use south Kearny as an example. There is one Engine with 3 men on duty..if they go on an ambulance call, then they are out of service, conversely, if they are on a fire call, then they cant man the ambulance. Looking at the manpower situation in general, are there enough firefighters on at any given time to handle an EMS call, as well as safely fight a structural fire??? I say let them do what they do best, and hire EMTs to handle the medical calls. Everyone worries about their taxes, and the costs, but noone thinks about the aftermath, sure taxes can be lowered (Well..not in any Dem administrations IVE ever seen) but services will end up being cut..and will YOU be the one who is so understanding after YOU have a fire?? or your house is burglarized, or a family member dies because ther eisnt an ambulance available???

For all my disdain for the Dems, the one administration that did the MOST damage to this town was Vartan's, between his refusal (in the personage of Bob Czech) to negotiate with the unions, to cutting manpower in ALL departments, PD and FD included. The Police have recovered to a point, they're still about 13 short of where they were when i was in high school, but the Fire dept seems to still be short-handed.

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Guest Guest_Mr Kearny_*
Posted my idea earlier in the thread..and in a dozen others or so over the years  :D  Well if that is the solutiion the town adopts, just remember that if it's your home that's on fire when the crews are doing ambulance runs, and cant come to put the fire out.  ..Firefighters should be available to fight fires..When they're on Ambulance duty they are NOT available for their primary jobs.  Let's use south Kearny as an example.  There is one Engine with 3 men  on duty..if they go on an ambulance call, then they are out of service, conversely, if they are on a fire call, then they cant man the ambulance.  Looking at the manpower situation in general, are there enough firefighters on at any given time to handle an EMS call, as well as safely fight a structural fire???  I say let them do what they do best, and hire EMTs to handle the medical calls.  Everyone worries about their taxes, and the costs, but noone thinks about the aftermath, sure taxes can be lowered (Well..not in any Dem administrations IVE ever seen) but services will end up being cut..and will YOU be the one who is so understanding after YOU have a fire?? or your house is burglarized, or a family member dies because ther eisnt an ambulance available??? 

    For all my disdain for the Dems, the one administration that did the MOST damage to this town was Vartan's, between his refusal (in the personage of Bob Czech) to negotiate with the unions, to cutting manpower in ALL departments, PD and FD included.  The Police have recovered to a point, they're still about 13 short  of where they were when i was in high school, but the Fire dept seems to still be short-handed.

And how long have you been on the fire department?

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Guest StudiesandObservations
The above post was not from Mr Kearny.  Please ignore this post.

But i would like to know "And how long have you been on the fire department?"

Exactly Zero years...you see im not ashamed to admit that the thought of fire scares the snot out of me. I dont care if its one fire a year they go to or not..i have NO desire to go into a burning building, while i have problems with some of their policies, i have respect for their profession. Also, as anyone who has frequented these boards for the past few years knows I've been very critical of the FD in some other matters. Besides, WHY would I advocate using non-firefighters if I was one?? Considering the original plan when KVERS was first looking like it was going to be taken over included plans for IIRC 20 Firefighters and 2 or 3 captains, I think my plan was a little more fiscally sound. But hey, if YOU want someone riding the ambulance that's making close to 3 times the state average for Professional EMS, that's Your tax dollar (and before you ask, No, im not an EMT either...carrying some 400# sick person down the stairs at 4 am isnt my idea of an ideal carrer either). All i know, is that when i Call 911 (which gets routed to the County, and then to Jersey City Med Ctr, before finally going to KPD so they can dispatch someone...but that's a Story for another day) I want an ambulance to get there, and take me to the hospital I request.

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Exactly Zero years...you see im not ashamed to admit that the thought of fire scares the snot out of me.  I dont care if its one fire a year they go to or not..i have NO desire to go into a burning building, while i have problems with some of their policies, i have respect for their profession.  Also, as anyone who has frequented these boards for the past few years knows I've been very critical of the FD in some other matters.  Besides, WHY would I advocate using non-firefighters if I was one??  Considering the original plan when KVERS was first looking like it was going to be taken over included plans for IIRC 20 Firefighters and 2 or 3 captains, I think my plan was a little more fiscally sound.  But hey, if YOU want someone riding the ambulance that's making close to 3 times the state average for Professional EMS, that's Your tax dollar (and before you ask, No, im not an EMT either...carrying some 400# sick person down the stairs at 4 am isnt my idea of an ideal carrer either).  All i know, is that when i Call 911 (which gets routed to the County, and then to Jersey City Med Ctr, before finally going to KPD so they can dispatch someone...but that's a Story for another day) I want an ambulance to get there, and take me to the hospital I request.

SAO, you say “WHY would I advocate using non-firefighters if I was one??”

It seems that all the firefighters say that because none of them want to do ems, yet they want more money to do ems.

Also, what is IIRC 20 Firefighters and 2 or 3 captains? And how do you know about the original plan when KVERS was first looking like it was going to be taken over? Taken over by whom? You seem to have a lot of inside information for a non firefighter.

I think if you look at the dwindling amount of fire runs over the past years I would assume that the fire department has more time to do things.

And I would imagine that since you are not a firefighter, you do not know how they spend their days. So you, nor I, really know for sure wither or not either one of our plans are feasible. However, I do see that Harrison Fire Department offers both services for the price of one. And they have managed to do it for a few years with no problems.

As far as the 911 system goes I just hope that nobody I know needs any ems in the near future. Not only will it take 10 minutes to reroute the calls I have no idea who will be responding.

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SAO, you say “WHY would I advocate using non-firefighters if I was one??”

It seems that all the firefighters say that because none of them want to do ems, yet they want more money to do ems.  True, but since they lost the othr positions that were paid extra (Lineman/Electrician, Carpenter, and Mechanics), i would think this is a moot point

Also, what is IIRC 20 Firefighters and 2 or 3 captains?  And how do you know about the original plan when KVERS was first looking like it was going to be taken over?  Taken over by whom?  You seem to have a lot of inside information for a non firefighter.  This was a number of years back, you DO realize that this forum has been around for a long time right???  IIRC= If I Recall Correctly

I think if you look at the dwindling amount of fire runs over the past years I would assume that the fire department has more time to do things. 

And I would imagine that since you are not a firefighter, you do not know how they spend their days. So you, nor I, really know for sure wither or not either one of our plans are feasible.  However, I do see that Harrison Fire Department offers both services for the price of one.  And they have managed to do it for a few years with no problems.

As far as the 911 system goes I just hope that nobody I know needs any ems in the near future.  Not only will it take 10 minutes to reroute the calls I have no idea who will be responding.  Well THAT is something to thank the State for, since they are the ones who mandated the changes a number of years ago.  911 is run by the County Sheriff's Office, and they DO do a good job, but unfortunately it also adds layers to the response.

But hey, you've obviously figured it all out, so if it pleases you to think so, Sure im a Firefighter... :lol:

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But hey, you've obviously figured it all out, so if it pleases you to think so, Sure im a Firefighter... :angry:

EMS in financial danger

By Monica Curry

The Observer

KEARNY – After a financial analysis this month showed the town’s emergency medical service is not generating enough revenue to cover its expenses, Mayor Al Santos predicts bankruptcy for the Kearny EM S squad.

“We want to be ready when and if that occurs,” said Santos.

Last week, the council adopted an ordinance that will establish the position of an in-house Emergency Medical Technician.

The salary range for the supervising EMT will be from $35,272 to a maximum of $56,389.

Santos said Kearny EMS, which is a separate corporation from the town, produces yearly operating costs of approximately $750,000.

This includes employees, maintenance and supplies.

However, Santos said the revenue the EMS is forecasting is only about half of that. “We want to reduce the monthly cost of operation, and increase the revenue,” said Santos. “Our goal is to operate without a deficit.”

Another alternative the council discussed is the employment of an outside service. It would be similar to the town’s business with EMTAC, a St. Barnabas Health Care emergency service provider the town hired two years ago.

At the time, the Kearny Volunteer Emergency & Rescue Squad had faced financial difficulties after 25 years of service, including discrepancies in reporting and gaps in coverage.

Santos and the rest of the council employed EMTAC as a temporary replacement until they accepted a proposal by the EMS later that year. Although Santos was pleased with their service, he said EMTAC will not operate in town again, in the event that the EMS squad goes bankrupt.

Instead, Santos has been considering a proposal from Cathedral Healthcare, an ambulance service based in Newark.

According to reports, KEMS has cut the number of rigs to one per shift since it opened in February 2004, and employees contribute to their own insurance coverage.

If KEMS does go bankrupt, the newly hired EMT’s would be able to use its headquarters on Liberty Place and its four ambulances, as it is all owned by the town.

:( Kearny dont get sick!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Guest turk 182

There is one thing you folks dont realize and that is when the Harrison fire dept has a working structure fire 2 things almost immediately happen one is the call for mutual aid from KFD and the second is the abandon thier ambulance duties and there is no harrison fire dept amb avail for medical calls either at the fire in harrison or for the residents of the town of harrison

So before you exhault the virtues of having KFD do ambulance duties with existing firefighter manpower keep that in mind because you may get neither an ambulance or a fire truck when you need them most

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There is one thing you folks dont realize and that is when the Harrison fire dept has a working structure fire 2 things almost immediately happen one is the call for mutual aid from KFD and the second is the abandon thier ambulance duties and there is no harrison fire dept amb avail for medical calls either at the fire in harrison or for the residents of the town of harrison

So before you exhault the virtues of having KFD do ambulance duties with existing firefighter manpower keep that in mind  because you may get neither an ambulance or a fire truck when you need them most

Stop bitching. Just lay down and die already!

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