EMSA Opt-Out "Open Season"

[Friendly Bear]

Anticipating a repeat of the sneaky, underhanded way that EMSA Director Williamson foisted the $3.64 per month EMSA fee onto our City Water bill, for those of us who don't want or need this service due to duplicate coverage under our health insurance plan, when can we expect to see the annual "Open Season" to opt-out of the EMSA fee??

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Friendly Bear

Anticipating a repeat of the sneaky, underhanded way that EMSA Director Williamson foisted the $3.64 per month EMSA fee onto our City Water bill, for those of us who don't want or need this service due to duplicate coverage under our health insurance plan, when can we expect to see the annual "Open Season" to opt-out of the EMSA fee??

thanks for reminding me, i think it is closer to June.

[Wrinkle]

...but, I'm sure the advertising awareness budget won't cover any mass public information campaign.

[Mike G]

Geez, not this again...

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by Mike G

Geez, not this again...

yes, and every year until they make the fee go away.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by inteller

quote:Originally posted by Mike G

Geez, not this again...

yes, and every year until they make the fee go away.

Let's be alert to update this topic when someone learns about this year's Opt-Out period.

The EMSA TotalCare 2008-2009 open enrollment period ends on June 30, 2008. So, it would be logical to assume that the Opt-Out open period would coincide with next year's enrollment "Open Season".

However, considering the devious, underhanded way the EMSA fee was foisted on city water service rate payers, maybe this year their Opt-Out Open Period dates will be DIFFERENT.

Sneakier and sneakier?

[shadows]

Fee's in Tulsa don't go away.  The apathy shown in the council election of the people limit the ability of removing a fee or the proper use of the fee.

We have a Storm Water Fee, among other resources, that is added to the water bill and we have to close streets when we get a little rain storm.  There is a possibility that some citizens believe placing signs in the roadway saying "closed due to high water" was the purpose of that fee.

Now this fee was to be a use fee to protect the citizens of Tulsa from flooding but has been converted to a property tax on vacant property owned by persons that live elsewhere.  There was a time this practice was known as "taxation without representation.

Just think we have a high paid bureaucracy, who's duties are to create more fee's so we can create more bureaucracies.

[CoffeeBean]

Civil disobedience would be in order if ambulance service wasn't a matter of life-or-death.  

Imagine the newly christened trolley being replaced with calls for EMSA service.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by CoffeeBean

Civil disobedience would be in order if ambulance service wasn't a matter of life-or-death.  

Imagine the newly christened trolley being replaced with calls for EMSA service.

Actually, EMSA isn't a FIRST Responder.

The Tulsa Fire Dept. is the First Responder.

Why?

EMSA lacks the density of vehicles to rapidly respond to medical emergencies within the metropolitan area.  

Reported Former Local Government Greenmail Grifter and Radio Shock Jock Jon Erling Frette used to read us the very abysmal and SCARRY EMSA Response Times on his KRMG radio spot just for laughs.

Remember?

That's before EMSA started paying his wife Margritte for "lobbying" on behalf of EMSA.  

Then Big Jon miraculously lightened up.  

Just a coincidence?

Sure.

Quid Pro Quo?

Nah.  

Just the Tulsa Premium.  

Again.

Were our Local Gifted Grifters merely shaking down various local Goobermint entities to the tune of $200K per annum to possibly buy "peace" with the notorious local Shock Jock?

Margritte helped bring us Grate Planes Airlines as their Lobbyist.

Remember?

Where did those $40 million in state and local tax dollars REALLY go?

Does she know where the bodies are buried....?

By the way, just for LAUGHS, hang around a local nursing home a few days.  

They get regular Emergency Medical calls.  Poor dears.

See which EMT vehicle ALWAYS shows up for the EMT:

It's the $400K-$600K Tulsa Fire Truck, getting a maximum 4 MPG for responding to a fainting spell.

Burning up the Tulsa roadways at 4 MPG to respond to a fainting spell.

And, burning of your Itty Bitty 3rd Penny Sales Tax dollars for brand new shiny Red Fire Trucks, at the tune of $400 - $600K per.

Instead of improving streets and roads in Tulsa.

Third Penny expenditures dropping to a paltry 28% of Third Penny expenditures at the latest Itty Bitty Third Penny Sales Tax renewal.

But, TFD has lots of big, new shiny red firetrucks to play with.

And TPD has big, new shiny police cruisers to commute home to Mannford, B.A., Jenks, Sapulpa, Sand Springs, Kellyville, Skiatook, Collinsville, and Owasso.

Your TAX Dollars at WASTE.

It's the TULSA PREMIUM.

Again.

EMSA is merely a Transport Unit.  

NOT a First Responder. They could NEVER hack it.

Hauling either Tulsa FD stabilized patients, or future organ transplant donors to local hospitals.

Once the EMT situtation has been stabilized by Tulsa FD, then EMSA transports.  

That's the standard protocol.

It's another:  TULSA PREMIUM.  

At a new mere $3.64 per customer per month.  Mere peanuts considering increasing property taxes, fuel, electricity, groceries, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

Forever.

Welcome to the New World Order.

[:O]

[OkieDiva]

Sorry, FB - you've got some "facts" wrong.

Both TFD and EMSA look at response times on a monthly basis. Only about 40 percent of the time is TFD first to an emergency, despite the density of fire stations. First responder means a person who lends an extra hand in the first few intensive minutes of an emergency, it does not indicate in Tulsa who's on scene first.

To say that EMSA is merely a transport service is disingenuous. It implies that nothing goes on inside the ambulance except driving. I think the heart attack victims who've been saved because of EMSA interventions, monitoring and medications en route to the hospital would argue... ditto the women who've safely delivered babies with EMSA paramedics' help... and the motorists who've suffered massive injuries but arrived at hospital alive and ready for surgery, thanks to the EMSA paramedics. It's simply untrue to claim that EMSA has no hand or a small role in stabilizing patients. Ask the agencies how many medical procedures - not just responses, but procedures like giving medications or starting IVs - they perform each month and compare.

For what it's worth, I think both TFD and EMSA do a wonderful and different jobs. Both agencies are needed at some, maybe many, emergencies. Imagine a big wreck that only EMSA responded to... who would cut the patients out of the car? Who would handle spilled chemicals or an engine fire? Or a big house fire that only TFD responded to... who would monitor, provide oxygen, do CPR on and transport patients while the firefighters were putting out the fire? They work together, and they're both needed.

[RecycleMichael]

I am unsure who friendless bear was attacking in his post. He doesn't seem to like the ambulance service, the fire department, the police department, lobbyists, radio DJs, and shiny trucks.

He wants us to hang out at nursing homes just for laughs.

I know there is such a thing as mad cow...now I am sure there is also mad bear.

[TulsaSooner]

quote:Originally posted by shadows

We have a Storm Water Fee, among other resources, that is added to the water bill and we have to close streets when we get a little rain storm.  There is a possibility that some citizens believe placing signs in the roadway saying "closed due to high water" was the purpose of that fee.

I would imagine some of our neighboring towns would gladly pay it this week to have Tulsa's "flood problem".  I had no problems driving to work any of the days lately in which we had heavy, heavy rain.  I've heard of no property damage due to floods in Tulsa.  Meanwhile, BA streets flooded every time and they didn't even have school today because of it.  I don't think Sand Springs, Bixby, etc enjoyed the rain too much either.

[rwarn17588]

I find it hilarious that every time shadows rails against the storm water fee or Tulsa's storm water system, a monster downpour occurs that completely justifies their existence.

I live on the west side, and Jones Airport has recorded more than 6 1/2 inches of rain in three days. You'd be hard-pressed to find any municipality that could handle that much rain in such a short time. But Tulsa's system worked like a champ.

[shadows]

I can remember of all the propaganda that was used to install EMSA and read in the paper where a 7 year old child dies.   There was years before EMSA was created on the persistence of a doctors wife, still Tulsa existed..  

Ok on the west side rainfall but the rain gage at the NE Airport, and the gages of SWM did not record such rainfall in a short time.   Nature by its own designed will dispose of high rainfalls over long periods of time.  The outflow of any area is a simple math problem.  Flash floods occur when the excessive rainfall occurs in a short time.  Some of the floods are localized to small areas but the Keystone could not stop the flood on the Arkansas in the same areas that the cities flooded.

We are number one in flood control, I believe we are the only city with flood control department.   Denver has tried but I understand they are abandoning  it.  New Orleans shows a massive failure.

Rule of the thumb "Don't build in the abandon river  bed"

EMSA is not a chariot to heaven.    Cemeteries are growing daily.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by OkieDiva

Sorry, FB - you've got some "facts" wrong.

Both TFD and EMSA look at response times on a monthly basis. Only about 40 percent of the time is TFD first to an emergency, despite the density of fire stations. First responder means a person who lends an extra hand in the first few intensive minutes of an emergency, it does not indicate in Tulsa who's on scene first.

To say that EMSA is merely a transport service is disingenuous. It implies that nothing goes on inside the ambulance except driving. I think the heart attack victims who've been saved because of EMSA interventions, monitoring and medications en route to the hospital would argue... ditto the women who've safely delivered babies with EMSA paramedics' help... and the motorists who've suffered massive injuries but arrived at hospital alive and ready for surgery, thanks to the EMSA paramedics. It's simply untrue to claim that EMSA has no hand or a small role in stabilizing patients. Ask the agencies how many medical procedures - not just responses, but procedures like giving medications or starting IVs - they perform each month and compare.

For what it's worth, I think both TFD and EMSA do a wonderful and different jobs. Both agencies are needed at some, maybe many, emergencies. Imagine a big wreck that only EMSA responded to... who would cut the patients out of the car? Who would handle spilled chemicals or an engine fire? Or a big house fire that only TFD responded to... who would monitor, provide oxygen, do CPR on and transport patients while the firefighters were putting out the fire? They work together, and they're both needed.

Oh Contraire, Mon Ami.  

The TULSA FIRE Dept. is the FIRST Responder.  It's official.

EMSA from its earliest days simply could not hack it as the First Responder.  They lacked the density of vehicles spread throughout the metropolitan area.

Why do you think we have a jail named after former D.A. David L. Moss?  

Hmmmmh?

Poor Mr. Moss keeled over with a heart attack one warm, summer day mowing his lawn.

His wife called 911, and mistakenly asked for an AMBULANCE.

They lived right behind a Fire Station.

He died before the ambulance got there.....

Well, at least the Tulsa County Jail PRISONERS got some cheerful news concerning their old Nemesis.

And, Mr. Moss got a building named after him.

And, I certainly hope that EMSA personnel do provide EMT assistance to patients in route to medical treatment, and that they sustain as many sick/injured patients as possible.  

ISN'T THAT THEIR JOBS?

As a Tulsa taxpayer, the part I enjoy paying for the most, besides the monthly $3.64 EMSA Tax, is to see EMSA ambulances parked behind Quik-Trips or in shopping center parking lots, with the ENGINES and heaters/Air conditioners RUNNING continuously because EMSA personnel are basically HOMELESS.

Observed one in INACTION a few days ago.  The driver was playing with his computer.

His EMT assistant (a female) was ASLEEP in the passenger seat.

Wonder why she didn't just climb in back for a snooze on the stretcher?

Mild, 70 degree day, but All windows were UP, and the engine and air conditioner were running continuously.

24 x 7?

Sure, why not?  We're paying for their fuel with our Sales Tax dollars.

From a policy viewpoint, if EMSA didn't view TFD as a COMPETITOR, then the ambulances could actually park and stage out of our Fire Stations.

Right?

But, TFD doesn't want EMSA personnel at their Animal House Fraternity parties and to observe whether the firemen are gaming their timesheets, and EMSA doesn't want ANYTHING to do with their competitor TFD.

You will NEVER see an EMSA ambulance parked at a TFD station.  Never.  

Well, just MAYBE if a Fireman needs transport, but in that case they'd probably fire up a Fire Truck for transport, not wanting to trust one of their guild to a competitor.

As to RecycleMichael's oft-repeated invectives against me, I'm only mad at what I see as 30 years of City of Tulsa Policy Stupidity and WASTE regarding EMSA.

What I would expect to see if there were proper local leadership and governance of the taxpayer's involuntarily extracted tax dollars is some efficiency and accountability.

Sorry, we all get to continue paying for two duplicative EMT services:

It's the TULSA PREMIUM.

Again.

and,

Again.

and,

Again.

[:O]