Fw: EMSNEWS Digest - 3 Dec 2001 to 4 Dec 2001 (#2001-249)

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DC - $12 million issued to D.C. fire, EMS squads

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http://asp.washtimes.com/printarticle.asp?action=print & ArticleID=20011203-87

> 273010

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> 12 million issued to D.C. fire, EMS squads

> Cella

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> THE WASHINGTON TIMES

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> Published 12/3/2001

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> D.C. officials have allocated $12 million from the city's emergency

> fund to Fire and Emergency Medical Services for upgrades to firehouses and

> the purchases of vehicles and special equipment.

> Deputy Mayor Margaret Nedelkoff Kellems made the announcement Friday

> during remarks at a graduation ceremony for 74 new D.C. firefighters and

> paramedics.

> Mrs. Kellems said the funds also would pay for additional hazardous

> materials equipment and an urban search-and-rescue team for the city.

> The news came as a surprise to the heads of both the firefighters and

> paramedics unions, who said they had not been informed of any meetings to

> discuss spending priorities.

> " This is the first I've heard about it, " said Lyons,

president

> of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3721, which

> represents the city's medics.

> D.C. Firefighters Association President Sneed thanked Mrs.

> Kellems during his remarks to the graduating class and urged that the

money

> be delivered without bureaucratic delay.

> Mrs. Kellems returned to the podium to say that the money had been

> delivered.

> " We're spending it now, " she said.

> Lt. Sneed later questioned whether the funds would get lost covering

> operational shortfalls, including the lavish graduation ceremony at the

> grand ballroom of the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, which sources said cost

> around $5,000.

> The last D.C. Fire and EMS graduation ceremony was held this summer

in

> a U.S. Park Police helicopter hangar at Bolling Air Force Base.

> Friday's three-hour ceremony included a band of bagpipers, which

played

> as several hundred guests entered the ballroom. Each of the graduates was

> presented with a helmet and a badge. The badge was pinned on the graduate

by

> a family member or friend.

> The 12-week class was interrupted when students were sent into the

> field to serve on ambulances in an effort to cover for departmental budget

> and staffing shortages.

> Chief Ronnie Few encouraged the class to look past tradition to the

> future and said his New Year's resolution was to unite the fire and

> emergency medical branches of the service into one department. Emergency

> medical personnel are currently civilians.

> Before the chief spoke to the crowd, he joked about an incident that

> pitted a group of D.C. firefighters against their suburban counterparts.

> " Anyone from the Arlington Fire Department? Good, we don't have to

have

> anyone watch your equipment outside, " the chief said, alluding to charges

> that D.C. firefighters tried to take gear owned by Arlington County during

> the terror attack on the Pentagon.

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> End of EMSNEWS Digest - 3 Dec 2001 to 4 Dec 2001 (#2001-249)

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