End Scituate
rescue controversy put SCITUATE AMBULANCE BACK ON 911
Mr. Mitchell if you thought to humiliate myself and the Scituate Ambulance Corps you are sorely mistaken
on that issue and several others.
Politicians are adept at “spinning’ the details of a story to advance their own agenda. During
a political campaign, spin doctors massage stories to ensure that their candidate is cast in a positive light-often at the
expense of the TRUTH. This leaves us with serious questions about what the real truth is.
So, Mr. Mitchell I am here to give you the TRUTH, which I am not afraid of.
First, in your reference to
the $12,000.00 to $20,000.00 that is the pay for the towns “per-diem” rescue program for daytime in the north
and south sides of town, which was NEVER to be full time jobs for anyone, and that was known from the very beginning that
they would receive a 1099 and that they were responsible for their own taxes. At that time I was dealing with the paperwork
and I would tell some of them how much money to put away in their sock drawers a pay period to pay their taxes at the end
of the year. I was one of the ones that helped to develop that program.
But the beginnings of the first paid rescue in town were done by the Scituate Ambulance Corps on or about
October 25, 2003. I brought forth to the board of directors that there wasn’t enough volunteers
in the Corps at that time or in the other departments in town and that I wanted to schedule 2 EMT’s so that we could
provide Advanced Life Support care for the people in the town like we had been doing for over 50 years, from the hours of
9 to 5 Monday through Friday on a per-diem program that would be 1099, on the nights and weekends there were more people around.
We did this for 8 months to the cost of $27,000.00 for payroll, which all of our monies comes from donations, memorials and
grants. In April of 2004 I wrote a letter to the Town Council stating that we couldn’t continue to do this and keep
enough revenue to sustain the corps, that we would finish this program on May 5th, 2004. We needed to do something
in town, so it was decided with the Scituate Fire Engineering Board which the Corps was a member of that we would do third
party billing, to finance the town’s daytime rescues North and South. I was one of the ones to take the first shift
on the ambulance the day that we started the new system in town on the North truck.
To the 1000 calls a year the Scituate Ambulance alone did between 480 to 499 calls a year that are verifiable
in the commanders reports throughout the years of our running.
To your statement about the Department of Health Web site I would like to first reference the reprimand
March 27, 2008 of the Scituate Ambulance with the article in the Valley Breeze & Observer dated October
16, 2008, Cite DOH letter that clears record. I am assuming that you didn’t read this article; you can find it atwww.breezeobserver.com.
Again if you go on the Web site you will see under EMT Instructor Coordinator my name with probation next
to it, and here is the reason why. On or about November 12, 2007 to May 7, 2008 I had received permission
to conduct an EMT-Basic Training Program (course approval # 07-039). Through my 38 years I have assisted many Instructor Coordinators
with their classes. This was my first on my own license, the fact is that I was injured in an accident, heading for surgery
and could not teach. But the class went on with very qualified instructors but my responsibility was the paperwork and that
is what my PROBATION is for , which after I teach 3 courses that are monitored by the Department of Health I may apply for relief from the probation, which I plan on doing as soon as I have fully recuperated. Not
due to something that I did wrong with any of the thousands of patients that I have treated in the last 38 years.
To your statement of decade-long members and contributors to the town’s Republican Party, the Scituate
Ambulance members have been from all walks of life and political parties but that is something that has NEVER stopped us from
being GOOD, CARING, RESCUE VOLUNTEERS for the PEOPLE IN THE TOWN OF SCITUATE, and we are a wonderful bunch, ALSO.
In your statement of wasting tax payer’s money, well Mr. Mitchell we the Scituate Ambulance Corps
have never received any tax money and cost the town NOTHING. And as I quote you “Don’t fool around with our life
emergencies. Give them what the want.”
So in closing Mr. Mitchell we are not trying to take away anything from the good, hard working, caring
fire and rescue personnel in the Town of Scituate.
WE JUST WANT OUR RIGHTS BACK
TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED, LIKE WE
HAVE DONE FOR THE LAST 55 YEARS IN THE TOWN OF SCITUATE.
As I have said for many years,
“WHO GETS RID OF VOLUNTEERS”
Also, Mr. Mitchell thank you
for writing this letter so that could answer you. If you would like to see all of the information to back up what I have stated
I would be more than happy to meet with you. You may contact me at 401-647-5822.
