Council Support Private Fire Fighters at 'Taste'...Sort Of
City Council approves but voices concern
by Jennifer Greenup
QCFMag.com
Reporter Jennifer Greenup covers the City Hall and local politics.
by Jennifer Greenup
QCFMag.com
City Hall--Cincinnati Fire Fighters spoke out at Cincinnati City Councils Monday Finance Committee meeting about the use of private EMS services at this year's Taste of Cincinnati. Robert Mengler, vice president of the local 48 Fire Fighters Union asked the City to rethink the use of private EMS services for the event.
“I don’t think that it is in the best interest of our residents,” said Mengler. “On a daily bases, we make runs to shootings and other situations that quite frankly the private EMS is not prepared for.”
Yet today Cincinnati City Council passed a motion to reimburse the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce $3000 for the employment of private EMS services during this weekend’s event.
Councilman Jeff Berding said that he recognized that the motion did not please everyone but that the policy is similar to previous policies.
“It provides limited support without limiting the administrations ability to provide that support,” said Berding. “If we believe that the Taste is a signature event then we need to support it.”
Councilman Cecil Thomas said at Monday’s meeting that he was concerned about the use of private EMS services.
“I’m very uncomfortable with this,” said Thomas. “Are we still getting the same quality of services when we go from $10,000 to $3,000 for Services?”
Thomas, however, voted in favor of the motion. “The time factor is a problem,” said Thomas. “I look at that and say that we need to go ahead and support this now. $3,000 is not a lot of money when we are making $35 million.”
Councilman David Crowley said he is concerned that visitors at the event will not be receiving the quality of EMS services that they have enjoyed in the past.
“We are not just talking about cost,” said Crowley. “We are talking about quality. We don’t know what they will provide.”
“The city is going to help provide support for events like the Taste of Cincinnati,” said Councilman John Cranley at Monday’s meeting. However he voted to reimburse the Chamber the funds saying, “I would prefer that our fire fighters would be used.”
Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz also voted for the motion but said that she would be making some calls this afternoon to urge the Chamber to use Cincinnati EMS.
“I am strongly urging that Cincinnati fire fighters be used,” said Ghiz. “If the city is giving funding to an event, we have to use our fire fighters and police.”
In 1999 Michael Cowperthwaite, who blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, drove his car though a barricade and injured 23 people of Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati fire fighters and Cincinnati police were critical in providing support to the victims at this event.
Councilman Chris Monzel said, “There are a lot of great events that take place in our city.” And we need a plan in place to address this problem in the future.
“I don’t think that it is in the best interest of our residents,” said Mengler. “On a daily bases, we make runs to shootings and other situations that quite frankly the private EMS is not prepared for.”
Yet today Cincinnati City Council passed a motion to reimburse the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce $3000 for the employment of private EMS services during this weekend’s event.
Councilman Jeff Berding said that he recognized that the motion did not please everyone but that the policy is similar to previous policies.
“It provides limited support without limiting the administrations ability to provide that support,” said Berding. “If we believe that the Taste is a signature event then we need to support it.”
Councilman Cecil Thomas said at Monday’s meeting that he was concerned about the use of private EMS services.
“I’m very uncomfortable with this,” said Thomas. “Are we still getting the same quality of services when we go from $10,000 to $3,000 for Services?”
Thomas, however, voted in favor of the motion. “The time factor is a problem,” said Thomas. “I look at that and say that we need to go ahead and support this now. $3,000 is not a lot of money when we are making $35 million.”
Councilman David Crowley said he is concerned that visitors at the event will not be receiving the quality of EMS services that they have enjoyed in the past.
“We are not just talking about cost,” said Crowley. “We are talking about quality. We don’t know what they will provide.”
“The city is going to help provide support for events like the Taste of Cincinnati,” said Councilman John Cranley at Monday’s meeting. However he voted to reimburse the Chamber the funds saying, “I would prefer that our fire fighters would be used.”
Councilwoman Leslie Ghiz also voted for the motion but said that she would be making some calls this afternoon to urge the Chamber to use Cincinnati EMS.
“I am strongly urging that Cincinnati fire fighters be used,” said Ghiz. “If the city is giving funding to an event, we have to use our fire fighters and police.”
In 1999 Michael Cowperthwaite, who blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, drove his car though a barricade and injured 23 people of Oktoberfest-Zinzinnati according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati fire fighters and Cincinnati police were critical in providing support to the victims at this event.
Councilman Chris Monzel said, “There are a lot of great events that take place in our city.” And we need a plan in place to address this problem in the future.
Reporter Jennifer Greenup covers the City Hall and local politics.The feature appears each Thursday exclusively in QCFMag.com.
Contact: jenniferg@queencityforum.com
posted by Queen City Forum Mag @ 1:44 PM
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