Comparing Apples to Apples, Part 2
How would the City pay for Medics?
By Bob Rhoades 

In the August 23 edition of the County News Online I wrote an article concerning Rod Hale’s suggestion that city council visit other cities with comparable fire departments citing Sidney and Celina. I actually found out since then that although it was attributed to him, it wasn’t his idea. 

I related that was an excellent idea as we finally would be able to compare Apples to Apples.  It further explained that wasn’t really true because every career fire department in the area also runs EMS. 

This elicited a response on my Face Book page from County Commissioner Mike Stegall, a former Greenville Township Trustee, asking 5 questions. I did a little research and was able to answer his questions using the answers that the Fire Department proposed the last time this subject came up.  Everything in this piece is documented and can be checked at the City Auditor’s office. Further, the full report on EMS in Greenville Fire Dept. is on file in the Fire Chief’s office. 

Mr. Stegall’s questions are noted, with the answers following.  The information in these answers came from the City of Greenville when the subject was proposed before. 

Question 1: Will the Firemen that are trained to do both jobs work for the same money or demand more, thus raising the cost? Answer: I answered that the firefighters have been cross trained as EMT’s for over thirty years.  I was in the first class.  At the present time all firefighters are state certified at the EMT-B level and 2 are certified to the EMT-P level (Paramedic) level.  This is a National Registry on all so they can practice anywhere. Greenville’s Civil Service Board Rules already allow for anyone taking the firefighter civil service test that have already completed training as firefighters and Paramedics to receive extra credit on the test up to 20%.  There will be a pay differential based on education if the program is implemented.  This will bring qualified people into the city and save the city even more money. So that question is a moot point.   

Question 2: How much will it cost to start this unit?  Answer: The first year cost was estimated to be around $800,000.  (See Question 5 for additional) 

Question 3: Where will the units be housed? Will the city have to build a new structure, or lease one, thus adding to the cost? Answer: This was sort of a no brainer, nonetheless it required an answer: Simple math, Michael. Greenville has an engine house with 7 bays. The township removed 2 engines, how many bays does that leave open? DUH! You made no point on that one.  Additionally some of the rear bays can double stack apparatus, so there would be no cost at all. There would have to be additions to the vehicle exhaust system and some additions to living quarters which were allocated space during the last remodel. 

Question 4: How many ambulances will be needed? What does it cost to buy and equip one ambulance?  Answer: Probably three to start, Piqua has three, Troy has three with reserve. Greenville’s report showed that The City would lease purchase three ambulances at start up.   

Question 5: How will all of this be funded?  Answer: A proposed 1 mil property tax that would pay for all startup cost of the vehicles and equipment as well as ALL FD capitals (engines, ladder, ambulances, etc.) at least through 2035 or so. City home owners would no longer pay the 3 mil levy they now pay to the township. The City of Greenville would save each property owner in the city through a reduction of the property tax millage from 3 (the current EMS levy paid to the township) to 1 mil.  This is a considerable amount of money to each home owner and bears looking into by City Council especially with elections coming up.  People should be asking why this hasn’t been done already. 

Additionally the city would make up the rest of the funding from ambulance billing, which would generate more funds than the cost of any more personnel that may have to be hired later on.  What we are saying here is that it would make the fire department almost self-supporting, the same as Piqua, Troy, Sidney, Celina and others.  This works Folks, it’s not a dream. It’s not someone blowing smoke.  The reason that we don’t have it now is because City Council hasn’t listened or acted on this in previous times. 

It is amazing to think the township was OK and justified in removing their fire apparatus from the city but when the city even mentions starting their own ambulance service, everyone has a heart attack. It is good that Mr. Stegall continues to give me these questions to ask and find answers for. Not sure why this is such a touchy issue but the answer proves the answer for all of the city’s problems.  By the city being able to bill insurance providers of victims transported, the money brought in from that will free money up for Police, Streets, Parks and other things we need and have become accustomed to. 

Actually the Fire Chief had the original idea to visit other fire departments and the City of Eaton was the only one visited.  Sidney and Celina were not visited but reflect better how Greenville operates.  At some point here, common sense should be kicking in for everyone.  Every other career fire department and some volunteer departments have fire and EMS together.  It just makes sense.  With the financial problems that Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati all have like us, if it wasn’t a good idea they wouldn’t be doing it.  

When the funeral directors decided to get out of the transport business years ago, the City of Greenville made the wrong decision when the EMS function wasn’t put into the fire department then.  So it started out as a VOLUNTEER EMS unit in an old gas station across from the city building.  That concept didn’t last very long.  It became a PAID EMS DEPARTMENT, which eventually evolved into what we have now in the township.  

The bottom line on all of this is money, not having enough but having a source of money to fix some of the city’s problems sitting right in front of us.  The real deal here is serving the taxpayers of the City of Greenville intelligently with fiscal responsibility! Putting EMS in the Greenville Fire Department is fiscally responsible because it solves that problem and in the end will lower all property owners taxes. 

City council seems to have gotten hold of a bit of rationality when they voted to allow Trilogy to build a new nursing home bringing jobs to our area.  Congratulations on that folks.  Now with an open mind let’s tackle the infrastructure problem that we have.  Yes it’s a lot of reading, but take the reports that the fire chiefs give you and make some intelligent decisions that will serve the citizens of Greenville for years.  With everything else that has happened wouldn’t it be nice to say to the property owners of the City of Greenville: “We will be offering you EMS service and cutting your property taxes, maybe to less than half of what they were. 

So thanks for asking Mike, I think you gave us all a very good chance to put right out there an answer to a problem that has been haunting the City for about 3 years now.  Thanks for fixing it.  Hopefully City Council will take the information and do good work with it.