Volunteers OK'D for Emergency Duty: Valparaiso Will Allow Fire Department to Provide First Response Services.
Posted on: Thursday, 12 January 2006, 21:00 CST
By Wendy Victora, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
Jan. 12--VALPARAISO -- As early as Friday, members of the Valparaiso Volunteer Fire Department will be providing first responder care to residents with serious medical emergencies.
The trained volunteers were placed in service as first responders in September, then removed two weeks later after three city commissioners expressed concerns about liability issues.
Commissioners on Monday voted unanimously to allow the volunteers to resume making first response medical calls.
"All questions that had been brought up by the commissioners had been answered and put to bed," said Commissioner Heyward Strong, who oversees police and fire issues.
"I think liability was the one common issue among the three commissioners. 'Did our insurance policy cover our volunteers?' " he added.
That was certainly on Commissioner Brent Smith's list of concerns. Smith was also frustrated that the decision was made independently of the full commission.
"We had two members decide they were going into the first responder business," Smith said. "The way the other three found out was, 'Hey, we read it in the paper.' "
Valparaiso Fire Chief Charlie Frank said that he and the assistant fire chief responded to medical emergencies in advance of the Okaloosa County Emergency Medical Services crews. As paid employees, Frank said they did not flag the same liability concerns as volunteers.
First responders provide basic care on serious medical calls before ambulance crews arrive.
Despite the drama surrounding the decision, it is not likely to affect many people. Frank said the city averages about 200 medical calls a year, and his volunteers will respond to only a portion of them.
"We're not going to the stubbed toe calls at two in the morning," he said.
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Copyright (c) 2006, Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach
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Source: Northwest Florida Daily News
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