Page 5 - Matthew Timerman News Today

WATERTOWN — The city has committed to working on plans to reduce the number of emergency medical calls the fire department responds to without relying on changing how Jefferson County 911 dispatchers handle emergency calls. The City Council on Tuesday backed off on pressuring the county to change protocol for 911 calls, which determines which medical call the fire department is dispatched to. Before approving an amendment to a resolution Tuesday night, Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith and council me...

WATERTOWN — City Council members made it clear on Monday night: They want Jefferson County dispatchers to handle emergency medical calls for the city’s fire department. Council members informally agreed on Monday that they will vote on a resolution next week that would make a major change that would mean county dispatch would determine which EMS calls the fire department would go on. County dispatchers now notify the fire department after a call comes in to them and they automatically...

WATERTOWN — Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith doesn’t see any reason for the city’s fire department to respond to an EMS call when a person falls or suffers from a diabetic

WATERTOWN — In a compromise offered by the mayor, the Fire Department’s rescue truck will be taken off the road next Monday, but firefighters will still be able to respond to EMS calls until the city discusses the issue again in January. Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith said Monday night the compromise will give the city a chance to meet with Guilfoyle Ambulance Services, Jefferson County EMS and the firefighters’ union. But he put it on the firefighters’ union to save the medical cal...

WATERTOWN — The city Fire Department’s rescue truck has been dispatched to more than 2,600 EMS calls so far this year. But the City Council on Monday might decide to take the rescue truck off the road permanently and put a stop to responses to all medical calls by firefighters. Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith is introducing a resolution at Monday night’s council meeting to end the rescue truck calls. For years, he has said that there’s no need for the rescue truck to go out on EMS ca...

WATERTOWN — The City Council is considering permanently taking the Fire Department’s rescue truck off the road and ending all emergency medical calls. Mayor Jeffrey M. Smith said he will introduce a resolution at next Monday night’s council meeting to take the rescue truck off the road and eliminate EMS calls. The need for the rescue truck — and the thousands of calls it goes on every year — has been the source of debate for years. But this is the first time council wou...