The LAFD is all ready talking about reducing our staffing levels due to the reduced budget and we have been dealing with rolling "brownouts" for about a year now. I and the others members of my department pride ourselves on the premium level of care we provide and any reduction of staffing is seen by us as reducing that level of service.
I suppose it is difficult to see it from my perspective because it is my profession, I don't understand the ins and outs of being a plumber or an attorney. To me the way they "do things" may seem overdone or inefficient and it is the norm for them. Your tax dollars pay for the service I provide and for that fee we want to have the best trained personnel ready to respond at any time of day. We still have fires not every time but we still do and the more people you can put on scene to get the work done the sooner it is out.
The fire service picked up the responsibility of EMS almost by default, we all ready had fire stations and a dispatch system in place to respond. The fire engines and trucks have trained EMT and Paramedics on them as well that is why you will see them respond to EMS calls as well, they are often the first line of care before the ambulance arrives on scene.
Someone also stated that we don't mind going out on the calls for the drink sleeping on the street. That is a falsehood too those are usually cell phone drive by's where someone doesn't even want to ask the person if they are asleep. Many people also feel that going the hospital is the fix all or not feeling well, so many departments now have a policy that if you call and have any medical complaint and want to go the the ER they take you. From sore feet to a stuffed up nose....I kid you not a guy wanted a ride the the ER because he had a stuffy nose, we had to show this guy how to blow his nose.
I am defending my profession and trying to educate because I love it that much, if you are ever downtown and happen to be walking along Sid Row stop by and say hey, we would love to show you around, we make one hell of a cup of coffee too.
