BRATTLEBORO — First of all, let me say my opinion is based on experience in EMS, albeit years ago. I was a volunteer and full time employee of Rescue Inc. for almost 14 years through the 1970s and early '80s.
More importantly, I am a citizen of Brattleboro and have to live with the decisions of our local officials, whether I like them (the decisions) or not.
We were informed by town officials that the Fire Department in conjunction with Golden Cross ambulance service could save the citizens money by assuming the services that Rescue Inc. had spent over a half century reviewing and constantly improving. We were told that the high level of service that we had relied on would not change.
It turns out that the costs involved in the Fire Department assuming those responsibilities will not stay remotely close to what it cost to have Rescue Inc. serving us. And just wait until we are informed that the Fire Department will require another huge amount to expand facilities to house the vehicles and equipment.
There are already discussions focused on reductions of vehicles and farming out additional backup needs to a department that is a half hour away. That should not be an acceptable alternative.
The suggestion that the accumulated experience and expertise found at Rescue Inc. can be replaced by a department with limited EMS experience and an ambulance service with inadequate equipment is downright frightening.
In no way am I denigrating the Brattleboro firefighters. They are as well-trained and -equipped to fight fires as any department in the state, and their professionalism is beyond reproach.
I just hope that our town representatives take a long, hard look before acting on the future of EMS in Brattleboro. Even if the level of experience and expertise were exactly the same, there would be no way, in my opinion, to justify the dramatic increase in cost by not contracting with Rescue Inc.