By I.M. Stackel
Naples Daily News
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — Consolidation of fire districts around Collier County continues to move forward, despite a number of twists and turns.
Just as logistical studies were released, and it looked like the county’s nine city, county government-dependent and independent fire districts could make consolidation work - 10, if you include Emergency Medical Services - it became even more difficult to distinguish between those who actually support consolidation, and those who just say they support it.
Three years ago, Collier commissioners asked fire district leaders if they could meet to create a countywide fire department, and absorb EMS, which carries Collier’s state-issued ambulance license.
On Nov. 20, officials from North Naples Fire Control and Rescue District and East Naples Fire Control and Rescue District met to brainstorm over the idea of those two departments merging. Fire officials from both departments were heartened by the enthusiasm for the venture, North Naples Fire Commissioner Jim Burke said recently.
At the same time, rumors began moving throughout the county that EMS Medical Director Robert Tober was fed up with the fire districts, and was going to attempt to work, instead, with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
In late November, EMS Chief Jeff Page said he’s had no such discussion with law enforcement officials in the county or the cities, and he isn’t aware of any conversations Tober may have had on the subject. The idea struck Page as odd.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office budget still is subject to approval by county commissioners. Having the Sheriff’s Office absorb EMS “doesn’t really help the taxpayer,” Page said.
EMS has been losing money, and county commissioners have had to bail out the department for two straight years.
But last week, Commissioner Fred Coyle said he has discussed this concept with Tober.
“Police officers are frequently first at the scene of an accident,” Coyle said, noting basic life support, or even advanced life support (ALS), could be helpful.
Some law officers already are trained in basic life-support functions, and that training “might be able to save (a patient) a few minutes,” Coyle said.
Coyle said he can’t recall how the discussion with Tober came about, whether Tober approached Coyle or the reverse.
“We’ve had many discussions on how to improve medical services to the people of Collier County,” Coyle said.
More discussion will ensue.
Monday, county commissioners will sit down with fire districts and EMS officials to “absolutely resolve this issue,” Coyle said.
Coyle acknowledged dual talks with fire departments and the Sheriff’s Office is going to be a “complicating factor.”
However, if there is no progress, if the fire departments aren’t going to get together, “we are going to look at other possibilities,” Coyle said.
Commissioner Donna Fiala was shocked to hear that Tober was meeting with the Sheriff’s Office, because it wasn’t what she and fellow commissioners told EMS to do, which was to work with the fire districts.
“I have had no meetings with (Sheriff-elect) Kevin Rambosk about this,” Page said. “I wouldn’t know if Bob Tober had any meetings with him.”
Burke said the special meeting was actually requested by East Naples fire commissioners.
“There were two items on the agenda: ALS and consolidation, and I believe those subjects are almost one and the same,” Burke said.
East Naples Fire Commissioner Tom Cannon did much of the legwork - and speaking - to get the groups together, so the idea could be “thrown out to the assemblage.”
With the economy flailing, high property taxes and impact fees, “I think everyone was willing to acknowledge the seriousness of the situation, and we had take a hard look at this,” Burke said.
Cannon couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The unions also have been supportive.
Union representatives of both North Naples and East Naples spoke at the meeting about the merger, and seemed interested, said former North Naples Fire Commissioner J.A. Rautio, who has been involved in discussions among fire districts.
Both fire districts were created in the same year - 1961 - and have a lot in common, including a sophisticated advanced life support team. Many of the workers have migrated to the fire departments from EMS.
That, too, has caused dissension.
While Tober contends EMS workers he trains can be considered qualified to perform advance pre-hospital procedures, some of the fire departments’ advanced life support leaders were trained by Tober.
“One of the two major decisions that came out of this meeting is the willingness of both fire governing boards to work together to solve the EMS-ALS issue,” Rautio said.
Fire leaders say if differences can’t be worked out with EMS on Monday or beyond, they have other options.
Not only is the North Naples and East Naples merger a possibility, but a merger between North Naples and Bonita Springs isn’t completely off the table, Rautio said.
Marco Fire Chief Mike Murphy, who noted he has an excellent working relationship with both Collier’s Emergency Management Department, and Emergency Medical Services, said consolidation doesn’t have to occur as one scheduled event.
It can unfurl gradually, Murphy said Thursday after a joint meeting between the Collier County Commission and Marco Island City Council.
Every year, Marco Island firefighters and paramedics run about 3,000 calls for service, Murphy said.
“We run one ALS engine with three people on board. We run one ALS Aerial, and we run EMS transport, which we have begun to run with three people,” Murphy said.
Now, Murphy reiterates the question many taxpayers ask: “Why do we send all these units?”
“We don’t need to send five or six units,” Murphy said, talking about a trial program in which a fire truck will be sent out, and the paramedic aboard will determine whether a transport vehicle is necessary.
Murphy said he and co-workers have seen cases in which paramedics off of a fire truck have applied “lifesaving care.”
That’s where regionalization of consolidation could enter the picture.
“In 2005, Marco Island approached the county (talking about) consolidation of Isles of Capri, Ochopee, Marco and EMS, and develop a fair funding system,” Murphy said.
While they developed organizational charts and sat down with all the unions, the plan is in a “holding pattern right now.”
“It’s a very volatile, very political issue,” Murphy said. “We’re also looking at (countywide) consolidation as an option, but you know there’s a lot of politics. It’s going to take a long time, if it were ever to take place.”