EMS organizations are living entities that are constantly in flux. Whether the changes an agency experiences are positive or negative depends upon not only the desire of its employees, but the quality and vision of its leaders.
At one end of the spectrum, Detroit is investing millions in emergency services. At the other end, D.C. Fire and EMS is battling a series of public safety failures — the latest in which firefighters refused to help a man who died of cardiac arrest across the street from the station.
These two articles provide a stark contrast between two cities’ EMS systems.
Detroit EMS seems poised for a renaissance. After decades of negligent city leadership and declaring bankruptcy last year, Detroit has a plan to rejuvenate its public safety services with a large infusion of cash and, more importantly, to bring it back up to fighting shape. While the article doesn’t get into the details, there seems to be a series of deliberate, well thought-out steps to upgrade the department’s equipment and facilities, which will be much appreciated by the crews.
The plan spans four years, identifying that its problems run deep and will take time to recover from. It seems contradictory, but I think it’s a sign of recognition of the extent of the problem, and is more realistic than a series of knee-jerk reactions to Band-Aid a problem. After years of watching depressing news coming out of the Motor City, I am cautiously optimistic for its future.
In our nation’s capital, the EMS system provides a perfect opposite to good leadership and governance. After another appalling failure of the system to respond to an emergency call, little is done to shake up the leadership of the department. It seems like there has been a shotgun approach to disciplining everyone who was remotely connected to the failure — except senior leadership.
This happens over and over within the District’s governance structure. Essentially, the city’s government has made it clear that there is no accountability for its actions. Somehow, all of DCFEMS’ issues are the isolated faults of individuals. I just can’t agree with that conclusion.
Common sense would dictate that EMS providers are inherently good people who wish to help, not hurt, their community. That intent dissolves under the crushing weight of bloated bureaucracy and political expediency.
Without a clear and unambiguous vision from the leadership, from both labor and management, this cauldron of disaster will continue to bubble and boil, occasionally spilling over in the mainstream media. Workers will be disciplined, and nothing will change.
No vision and no plan equals no change.
