Indiana Rescuers Protest EMS Privatization

With less than a week before the Merrillville Town Council reviews proposals to outsource its ambulance service, town paramedics have been busy discouraging the town to go any further.

About five dozen protesters lined up in front of town Hall last Tuesday to join the local paramedics' feud against the town's consideration to privatize ambulance service. The event also drew the attention of other paramedics and union members throughout the Lake County area.

Paramedics, firefighters and other unionized personnel joined local paramedics saying that if Merrillville eliminated the EMS department, the quality of pre-hospital emergency care likely would diminish.

Although town leaders emphasize that no action has taken place other than to explore the possibility, paramedics are suspicious. They say that if the council is seeking proposals, then it's enough to convince them that privatization is more than likely.

Council President Shawn Pettit has said that privatization would happen "eventually" due to the rising costs of maintaining the current EMS structure.

Merrillville's EMS department provides advanced life service as opposed to basic life service, what emergency medical technicians perform. That means Merrillville's 12 full-time paramedics provide advanced life support, pre-hospital care, which costs more.

Town leaders have said Merrillville has, in recent years, been financially struggling to maintain the EMS department, stemming from personnel costs for overtime, sick days and vacation.

Footing those bills has led the town to go to the taxpayers for more money. The department also owes $350,000 it borrowed from a tax increment financing district fund, said Town Manager Tim Brown.

"We've extended for them way too long," Brown said.

Area chapters of the International Association of Firefighters are banding to keep Merrillville's paramedic staff -- members of Local 4497 -- in place.

"It would be unfortunate if the town of Merrillville loses its long-established EMS service," said Robert Lamprecht, Hobart EMS director, who added that his department for years, was "modeled after Merrillville" EMS.

"It's very easy to go from town-run to private, but it's very difficult to go from private back to town-run," said Hammond fire fighter Michael Hull, who is also a trustee of the Hammond firefighters Local 556.

Five years ago, the town of St. John began operating EMS transport service through its fire department and just this summer upgraded its program to advanced life support, said Fire Chief Fred Willman. Before that, the town had been using service from a private provider. However, the town never had a binding contract with the company.

"It was a gentlemen's agreement," Willman said.

But as the town grew and more 911 calls came in, the community had to make a choice: run its own EMS or enter into a contract. St. John leaders determined that the town should operate its own EMS.

Willman said the private service the town had received was "exceptional" but that for "logistical" reasons, the town chose not to contract out.

Willman said what worked for St. John, may or may not work for Merrillville. One would have to consider the town's history, its population and growth potential, and the number of emergency calls it receives, among other factors.

"There are so many variables that are involved," he said.

Other communities, including Hobart, Gary, Hammond and Schererville, operate their own EMS service through their fire department as one municipal entity. Merrillville, which does not have its own fire department, relies on the Ross Township Fire Department, a volunteer force.

For about two decades, the town ran its own EMS department, said paramedic Tony Ruggles.

"So what's the problem now?" he said.

Communities that have privatized ambulance service have done so for decades. Highland, Dyer and Griffith have contracts with provider Prompt Ambulance Service.