Mayor's letter to the editor

Here you will find Mayor Campbell's letter to the Daily Journal in reference to the reasoning behind severing relations with DTEMS.

Once again, the mayor is justifying the decision of the committee with partial facts and untruths.  Lets take a look at the letter and decipher fact from the untruths.

• First, the mayor states the committee has been evaluating the performance of DTEMS over the past few years.  If this is the case, why has it taken the committee this long to act on the "continued concern over missed calls, the lack of proper screening of the volunteers, and rescue services performed by unauthorized personnel?"  Its no secret the response percentage for DTEMS has been less than 100%.  But on the same hand it hasn't been 70%-80%, like the mayor states.
• Back to the "rescue services performed by unauthorized personnel."  The members of DTEMS are trained, either as state certified EMTs or are CPR certified and trained as drivers.  The mayor needs to provide proof of "unauthorized personnel" before he claims someone to be "unauthorized." 
• The mindset that 70%-80% is acceptable is also false.  Although the response rate is 80%-90%, the members strive for 100%.  However, given that we are a small group of VOLUNTEERS, 100% is nearly impossible.  I know people will say, like the mayor stated in his letter, LTEMS has responded to 100% of thier calls.  My answers to that are: 1) they have a larger contingent of volunteers 2) they have 100% support from their local fire department and 3) they have 100% support from their township committee.  DTEMS has 2 members that belong to the local fire departments.  Our local fire departments provide first aid service to patients prior to the arrival of the ambulance.  One department will periodically provide a driver, if needed, while the other department will provide NO support, other than to render care prior to the ambulance arrival.  For the most part, when the ambulance fails to respond, its because we lack a driver.  If we had more support from our fire departments (ie: providing a driver, when asked) our response rate would be considerably higher, but first responders have the "mindset" that they only need to provide first aid!
• LTEMS has graciously and professionally handled all the calls (except 1) for service in Downe since April 2, 2013.  So, again, the mayor doesn't have ALL the facts.  Granted, LTEMS was on an accident with both of their ambulances, but ALL of the calls in Downe haven't been handled by LTEMS. 
• If, the mayor and committee are in fact doing this "strictly in the best interest of the health and public safety," then like I stated earlier, WHY has it taken this long???  The squad, as the mayor previously stated, has "historically poor" response rate.  So much for this decision to be "strictly in the best interest of the health and public safety!"

Monday May 6, 2013 @ 7pm the residents will have their chance to voice their pleasure/displeasure with the township committee!!!