Commissioner overstepping his boundries

We got a memo from one of the county commissioners yesterday informing us to use one specific ambulance company, should another one fail (we have volunteer ambulance service in the rural areas, and he wants Myerstown to cover for Schaefferstown only!) My BIG problem with that, is the delay in patient care! We are supposed to go by closest due unit, why the heck would we send one that has to travel further hecnce delaying care.. these volunteer companies fail often, especially on weekends and overnights,already causing a delay, sometimes takes 10-15 minutes to get someone to go on a call and now he wants us to send a unit that is further out.. I don't think so.. I will continue to dispatch the way I have been for the past 3 years, he doesn't like it then he can fire me and see the big stink I raise... I am sure the media would be quite interested in this piece of information, as would the Medic Federation (they govern all EMS practices for the state) I am not the only one that feels this way, it is just riduculous.. of course he has personl ties to trhe one unit..

This may sound like I am a girl but YOU GO GIRL!!!!! Maybe this commissioner should learn what liability is and how he is opening your department to large amounts of Liability. You stick your ground and hopefully other will do the same. You could also think about leaking this memo to the press so it can get attention right now.

What does your boss(es) say about this memo from the county commissioner? What is your dispatch center's policy on things? I would definitely follow your center's policy and fall back on your training and experience. It's funny how these "armchair quarterbacks" are always starting new policies etc and never getting any input from the people who actually do the job and have to work within the new guidelines. and I will echo the last post YOU GO GIRL!!!! If they give you grief, run run run to the media so the public can be informed of a dangerous policy that can compromise their level of emergency response. take care!! Paula

Of course this comes out the morning before my days off, so I missed the follow up.. apparently this commissioner threatened to fire the Director and Deputy Director if they did not follow his memo (not sure he could do that, but still this guy sounds power huingry and delusional) Our boss sent out a memo saying that until further notice continue to do things as we have been (and as I intended to****il this gets "worked out" I also heard last ngiht one of the other commissioners is really pissed at him for even thinking he can do this and opening up the county to such liablilty.. a shocker, we never agree with the second commissioner (he said trained monkeys can do our job once during contract negotiations)