Monday, August 14, 2006

NOLA EMS or Homeland Security EMS?

According to the Gambit Weekly, our illustrious mayor Uncle Ray has proposed a brilliant plan to increase the pay of NOPD and new fire department recruits. Yes, that's it. Left out of the plan are countless other "essential workers," the type of city workers that stayed in New Orleans during the hurricane. No explanation of why dispatchers, civilian NOPD workers, veteran firemen and, oh yes, EMS workers were left out of this plan. Juliette was just as much in the dark about such a plan as anyone else was, as it seems the mayor announced this pay plan out of the blue, without consulting anyone about it - in particular those who would be affected by it!
Here's a snippet of the article:
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Also left out of the loop was Dr. Juliette Saussy, the city's director of Emergency Medical Services. She testified this spring before the Federal Communications Commission on the travails of city ambulance workers during Katrina. Dr. Saussy admits she was caught unaware when her boss announced raises that did not include her and her 90 employees. "I think any time you start talking about the three public agencies -- police, fire and EMS -- you need to talk to them together," she stated in published reports.

We agree. In fact, city Homeland Security chief Terry Ebbert should take those words to heart since he has asked the Civil Service Commission to transfer EMS from the city Health Department to his own command. Regarding the pay plan, it's not too late for the mayor to consider the importance of consensus building. History holds enough lessons for him on that count.
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In regards to the command overseeing EMS, it seems that Homeland Security would have oversight on the running of EMS, rather than the Health Department. I would imagine that EMS workers would remain city employees and civil service workers, only the command structure would change. Instead of answering to Dr. Stevens, we'd answer to Homeland Security.

Here's a link to the full Gambit article.

What are y'all's feelings on this?

6 comments:

Sean said...

By the way, in reearching this, I found this Gambit article from 2003 mentioning that NOPD, NOFD and OEP were transferred to the command of Homeland security several years ago. Here's the address (cut & paste into your browser):

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/
dispatch/2003-03-25/commentary.html

Anonymous said...

I know many of you have been saying that if we go to HS we will not be under civil service. Where did you get that from? Dawne? NOPD and NOFD are under Homeland Security and nothing changed for them they just report to Col. Ebbert. The only reason we are not under them was because Dawne pissed them off and Col. Ebbert could not work with her. So of course she does not want to go there if she has hopes of returning. FYI, I was told by civil service that EMS is under Homeland Security right now during the "EMERGENCY PERIOD" and that the charter states we are under the Health Department. Mark and Jullette met with Civil Service to ask about the charter change and to start pushing as the division has requested in the meetings when put to a vote. It is civil service's obligation to notify the employees by mail of any hearings to come.

Anonymous said...

My question to you all is who really gives a shit who we answer to? I mean...after the way Dr. Stevens spoke to us at the Arena do you really think that he cares about any of you? And why in the hell would you want to continue to work under this asshole... he is scared of us and will stop at nothing to get rid of us just so he does not have to deal with us anymore. I do not understand where the idea of not being civil service comes from if we move to DHS, but IT ISN'T TRUE!!! The people that have said this are truly not informed.

NICK

Sean said...

My thoughts exactly, Nick!

Anonymous said...

Here is a good poll for us to take part in...Who thinks that they look good in GREEN POLYESTER? Because if these people do not stop F***ING IT UP FOR EVERYONE AND JUST LEAVE...THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!! I DO NOT DO SOME OF THE SHIT THAT I DO JUST TO HAVE MY JOB AND THE SECURITY OF MY FAMILY ASS RAPED BY THOSE WHO ARE ONLY OUT FOR THEMSELVES!!! ANYONE WANT TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH ME......MAKE SURE THAT YOU BRING A LUNCH...YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT!!

NICK

Anonymous said...

Damn...I must have hit a nerve! Nobody responding to an obvious jab at what they are trying to do to us?!!??!?? WTF is that all about...I thought that these people (whoever they are) were bigger than that...guess not!

Nick