Cleveland will merge EMS and fire operations
May 10, 2010, 2:20PM
Plain Dealer fileCleveland will merge EMS and fire operations, union officials said today.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- City leaders announced plans Monday to combine Cleveland's Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services into one operation after years of fighting over the move.
Mayor Frank Jackson said both agencies provide superior services, but the city needs to explore ways to save money in tough economic times and deliver higher quality services. He doesn't know how much, if any, money the move will save money. Jackson calls the combining of services an integration, not a merger.
"I don't see it as a merger where one side loses their identity," Jackson said. "This is about both divisions based upon services."
The new department would be called the Division of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Medical Service.
Historically, there has been a long-standing rivalry between the Fire Department and EMS, despite occasional talk of merging the two services. Firefighters have always advocated merging, but paramedics have usually scoffed.
Both unions said Monday they are willing to work with the city to provide better services -- even if it means combining both divisions.
"I think it's a great opportunity, said EMS union chief Stephen Palek. "We both have unique talents."
The fire union boss agreed.
"I think it's long overdue," Chester Ashton said. "This is an important day."
The proposal to merge the 230 EMS employees and the Fire Department's 870 workers is just one of the measures that Jackson's administration wants to implement in the coming months as officials try to save money.
Chief of Staff Ken Silliman and other members of Jackson's cabinet unveiled a list of some of those recommendations during City Council's Finance Committee meeting. Most of the ideas were listed in an efficiency study the city received from consultants in November.
Jackson said no deadline has been set to integrate the fire and EMS divisions and that no master plan has been developed. He has requested that division chiefs, the safety director and unions formulate a plan make the integration occur.
All of the groups will meet again Friday. Jackson said it is critical for the unions to be onboard because of labor agreements already in place.
Cleveland firefighters began responding to some medical emergencies years ago as a way of improving service. Firefighters often arrived faster because they have more stations across the city than EMS.
Jackson said it is too early to predict if paramedics will ride on fire trucks or if firefighters will handle calls on ambulances.
Other big-city fire departments across the country and in Ohio have combined fire and paramedic services. Cleveland last discussed a merger in 2001 before former Mayor Jane Campbell took office. At that time, Jackson was president-elect of City Council and opposed the merger.
This year, the city faces a $23 million budget shortfall and has slashed pay for 1,800 nonunion employees. Union employees were either laid off or voted to accept pay cuts. City leaders said Monday that next year's budget will also be tight.
Jackson said Monday that he has been discussing merger possibilities for more than two years during cabinet meetings. The integration would have met fierce resistance even three years ago, he said.
The plan is not a knee-jerk reaction to budget issues, Jackson said, but the city needs to plan for the future. He commended union leaders for pledging their cooperation.
"It's timing," Jackson said. "The reality of the moment is getting beyond one's own interests."
But two Cleveland councilman expressed concerns Monday about meshing the cultures of both divisions.
The Cleveland Fire Department, like many across the country, is made up mainly of white men, many of whom consider their work a calling. Many are third-or fourth-generation firefighters.
EMS started in 1975 and has a higher number of women and minorities in the ranks. The councilmen wondered what the city would do to mesh the different cultures so the employees could forge working relationships.
Jay Westbrook said he has always supported the separation of EMS and fire operations but would consider the merger if the city can save money and improve efficiency.
"We have to be more proactive," he said.
Kevin Conwell, head of City Council' Public Safety Committee, said council members will not approve the proposal without knowing the specific details.
"It's going to be a long process," Conwell said. "We need to define what the mayor is talking about.
Plain Dealer reporter Mark Gillispie contributed to this story.
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