Louisiana FF's Medical Oversight,

March 23, 2010

Forgive me , but maybe I have misunderstood the focus of your post. It

seems as though, you are comparing apples to bananas. In all of the examples

that you listed, you are pointing out variations in LOCAL protocols that are

regulated by EMS franchise agreements in the municipalities. In each case, the

FF are still regulated by the State EMS Commission. The FF in these states are

not allowed to run amuck, doing what ever they please.

I am a career Firefighter and Paramedic, certified in Texas AND Louisiana, so

this legislation affects me directly. The one thing that I have not heard is

the LA Fire Commission, stepping up to say they will take over the regulation of

firefighters providing EMS care. I don't think it matters who oversees the

patient care portion, as long as they require conformance to some sort of

nationally standerdized level of care. I will be the first to say that LA does

some things the hard way but, this legislation can not be good for the

patients.

Doug

March 23, 2010

There is no state fire commission in Louisiana. Firefighters in Louisiana do

not have any oversight for their action as firefighters.

The only state official that has any firefighting related duties is the State

Fire Marshal - he does not have any authority over firefighters or fire

departments - just arson and code inspection.

>

> Forgive me , but maybe I have misunderstood the focus of your post. It

seems as though, you are comparing apples to bananas. In all of the examples

that you listed, you are pointing out variations in LOCAL protocols that are

regulated by EMS franchise agreements in the municipalities. In each case, the

FF are still regulated by the State EMS Commission. The FF in these states are

not allowed to run amuck, doing what ever they please.

>

> I am a career Firefighter and Paramedic, certified in Texas AND Louisiana, so

this legislation affects me directly. The one thing that I have not heard is

the LA Fire Commission, stepping up to say they will take over the regulation of

firefighters providing EMS care. I don't think it matters who oversees the

patient care portion, as long as they require conformance to some sort of

nationally standerdized level of care. I will be the first to say that LA does

some things the hard way but, this legislation can not be good for the

patients.

>

> Doug

>

March 23, 2010

There is no state fire commission in Louisiana. There is no state oversight for

firefighters. The only state official who has any firefighting related

authority is the state fire marshal - he has no authority over firefighters or

fire departments, his authority is limited to arson investigation and code

inspection.

This is what would change with this bill:

A non firefighter EMT who is arrested for child porn - this person will be

treated like any other health professional, RN, MD etc. by its board of peers.

The EMS board does not make a set of rules for firefighters and non

firefighters.

A firefighter EMT - Nothing will happen because there will not be a method to

investigate revoke, suspend or discipline this persons certification. The board

will be PROHIBITED from doing any type of investigation if it receives a

complaint on a firefighter/emt but a non firefighter with the same complaint -

an investigation would be held.

What is best for our (fire based and non fire based) profession.

While i agree that people may be treated diffrently on the basis of who

employees them - they should all be held to the same level of accountability.

This bill - if approved - will make non fire EMS professionals second class

citizens in our own profession.

The funny thing, or not so funny thing, is that the chair of the board is a

firefighter. Its hard to say your being treated unfairly when the chair of the

board is one of your own.

>

> Forgive me , but maybe I have misunderstood the focus of your post. It

seems as though, you are comparing apples to bananas. In all of the examples

that you listed, you are pointing out variations in LOCAL protocols that are

regulated by EMS franchise agreements in the municipalities. In each case, the

FF are still regulated by the State EMS Commission. The FF in these states are

not allowed to run amuck, doing what ever they please.

>

> I am a career Firefighter and Paramedic, certified in Texas AND Louisiana, so

this legislation affects me directly. The one thing that I have not heard is

the LA Fire Commission, stepping up to say they will take over the regulation of

firefighters providing EMS care. I don't think it matters who oversees the

patient care portion, as long as they require conformance to some sort of

nationally standerdized level of care. I will be the first to say that LA does

some things the hard way but, this legislation can not be good for the

patients.

>

> Doug

>

March 23, 2010

You know TCFP wants to do the same types of things in Texas right?!?!?

-Chris

Sorry for the spelling and punctuation this was typed on tge tiny

keyboard on my iPhone

On Mar 23, 2010, at 21:56, anthonyjohnson442 anthonyjohnson442@...

> wrote:

> There is no state fire commission in Louisiana. There is no state

> oversight for firefighters. The only state official who has any

> firefighting related authority is the state fire marshal - he has no

> authority over firefighters or fire departments, his authority is

> limited to arson investigation and code inspection.

>

> This is what would change with this bill:

>

> A non firefighter EMT who is arrested for child porn - this person

> will be treated like any other health professional, RN, MD etc. by

> its board of peers. The EMS board does not make a set of rules for

> firefighters and non firefighters.

>

> A firefighter EMT - Nothing will happen because there will not be a

> method to investigate revoke, suspend or discipline this persons

> certification. The board will be PROHIBITED from doing any type of

> investigation if it receives a complaint on a firefighter/emt but a

> non firefighter with the same complaint - an investigation would be

> held.

>

> What is best for our (fire based and non fire based) profession.

>

> While i agree that people may be treated diffrently on the basis of

> who employees them - they should all be held to the same level of

> accountability.

>

> This bill - if approved - will make non fire EMS professionals

> second class citizens in our own profession.

>

> The funny thing, or not so funny thing, is that the chair of the

> board is a firefighter. Its hard to say your being treated unfairly

> when the chair of the board is one of your own.

>

>>

>> Forgive me , but maybe I have misunderstood the focus of your

>> post. It seems as though, you are comparing apples to bananas. In

>> all of the examples that you listed, you are pointing out

>> variations in LOCAL protocols that are regulated by EMS franchise

>> agreements in the municipalities. In each case, the FF are still

>> regulated by the State EMS Commission. The FF in these states are

>> not allowed to run amuck, doing what ever they please.

>>

>> I am a career Firefighter and Paramedic, certified in Texas AND

>> Louisiana, so this legislation affects me directly. The one thing

>> that I have not heard is the LA Fire Commission, stepping up to say

>> they will take over the regulation of firefighters providing EMS

>> care. I don't think it matters who oversees the patient care

>> portion, as long as they require conformance to some sort of

>> nationally standerdized level of care. I will be the first to say

>> that LA does some things the hard way but, this legislation can not

>> be good for the patients.

>>

>> Doug

>>

March 24, 2010

Could you expand on the comment concerning the Texas Commission on Fire

Protection?

I'm not sure what you mean.

Thanks,

Kelley Stalder, LP

Former Commissioner and Presiding Officer

TCFP

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Re: Re: Louisiana FF's Medical Oversight,