WASHINGTON — D.C. Fire and EMS EMTs claim they aren’t getting training promised by fire officials after private ambulances began operating in the district.
The Washington Times reported that the union has yet to receive any information on new training plans. In February, the district hired AMR to give paramedics more time for training. The private ambulance service was deployed in late March.
Darlene Nelson, vice president of Local 3721 of the American Federation of Government Employees, said training for paramedics will be obsolete or improvised because of the high number of emergency calls that keep ambulances on the streets and the fire department’s lack of a permanent medical director.
“There has been no increased opportunity for training since [American Medical Response] came on streets 15 days ago,” Nelson said. “EMS is not a priority in the budget. When we lost [former medical director] Dr. [Jullette] Saussy, we knew we were in trouble.”
Nelson said training gaps for EMTs include an overhaul of the training academy, remodeling classrooms and updating equipment, active shooter training and simulations of water rescues, according to the report. She also said the fire department needs to do a better job of reaching out to residents to let them know when it’s appropriate to call an ambulance.
D.C. Fire Chief Gregory Dean denied that EMTs aren’t getting training. In-service training was supposed to start in February, he said, but the resignation of Dr. Saussy delayed training until March 21.
Chief Dean said it would take six to eight weeks to train everyone, adding that much of the training is hands-on and in groups.
“We want them to learn and train as a team,” Chief Dean said. “I believe that the training we’re providing at that training academy fits that model. I want to caution that we are only in week three of an initiative that is new to all of us.”