Battle brewing over paramedic service

By Gabe Gutierrez

FLINT (WJRT) -- (02/03/09)--A heated debate is under way over the future of Flint's paramedic service.

The sheriff says it's time for Genesee County to take over.

The county gives the Flint Fire Department roughly $700,000 a year for paramedic service within the city.

That millage agreement has been in place for almost 20 years. But Sheriff Robert Pickell wants to end it.

"We don't know how much money is there and where the money is going," he said.

"I have a suspicion that some of that money is going to fund other things in the city and not the paramedic program."

Pickell said he would hire at least seven more paramedics with the property tax money. But the Flint Firefighters Union thinks there will likely be major job cuts within the city.

Several dozen firefighters showed up at the county commission meeting Tuesday morning. They argued a county takeover would increase response time and hurt patient care within the city.

"I can't debate the he can manage the funds better, but I don't feel he can provide a better service to the citizens," said Flint Firefighters Union President Ray Barton.

"Was the system broken somehow? Was there some reason the sheriff decided to take it over now?" said Flint firefighter Rico Phillips.

"I don't believe so. It's cutting off half our face if you take away the EMS service from us."

"It's hard for them to cover a large area of the county at the same time as covering a quadrant of the city because the call volume in the city is a lot higher," said Mike Rose.

Pickell said he's not critiquing the firefighters, just their administration.

"All I know is that when a call goes out in a district that I represent, there's a time lapse," said County Commissioner Omar Sims.

Sims wants the city to explain how it's spending the $700,000 in millage money it gets every year for EMS.

"In tough times, people have to be accountable," Sims said.

Tuesday, commissioners voted to postpone debate until a committee meeting on Feb. 18.

Even with $700,000 of their budget on the line, no one from the mayor's administration was at Tuesday's meeting. Budget Director Michael Townsend did speak to ABC12 via phone Tuesday afternoon.

"We spend more than ($700,000) to fund EMS in the city of Flint," he said. "And we'd be more than happy to provide that documentation."

Flint Super Chief Richard Dicks declined to comment.