Excerpts from Chicago.cbslocal.com:
Last summer, the Chicago Fire Department hailed the addition of five new ambulances as a step to cutting chronically slow response times to emergency calls. According to an analysis of eight months of Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) data the fleet was up to 80 ambulances.
A comparison of ambulance response times for the four months before the new ambulances were added to the same four months after the addition revealed that the average response times improved just four seconds– from seven minutes, 22 seconds to seven minutes, 18 seconds. The state standard is six minutes.
Response times were supposed to be helped when the University of Chicago opened its trauma center last spring because ambulances wouldn’t have to travel as far for critical runs, but the data shows only an incremental improvement.
Further analysis showed most ambulances go on 10 runs in a 24-hour period, but the busiest ambulances can have up to 18 runs a day.
At the current fleet level of 80 ambulances, Chicago ranks last in number of ambulances per one thousand people when compared to other big cities. If Chicago added 20 more ambulances the rate jumps to 3.7 per 1,000 people — meeting national norms. A recent industry report said the Chicago Fire Department needs to bring its fleet up to 100 ambulances.
In 2015, the Chicago Inspector General issued a report criticizing the fire department for not properly tracking response times.
The fire department said the data analyzed from the OEMC is unreliable, as well as data used by the inspector general. The department also questions data used by the paramedics union calling for more ambulances. The fire department claims they will be issuing their own report on response times in the next couple of months and said it is now manually reviewing data to identify discrepancies, technical issues, or operating errors. Until that is done, it cannot verify the accuracy of response time data.
Here is the entire statement provided by the Chicago Fire Department:
“Ensuring Chicago has the highest quality emergency medical services and rapid ambulance response times is our top priority. Following last summer’s expansion of the department’s ambulance fleet, CFD announced it would conduct a comprehensive analysis on the impact of the five new ambulances to ensure it meets the needs of Chicago.
To ensure the accuracy of this intensive study, CFD is reviewing data manually to determine any discrepancies, technical issues, or operating errors; the department estimates it will need no less than 45 days to complete this review. While the department’s analysis is underway, we cannot verify the accuracy of raw data and information that has not undergone a comprehensive review by the Chicago Fire Department.”
thanks Martin
#1 by Michael on March 17, 2019 - 2:37 PM
What 5 ambulances did the city add? Are there current plans to add any more?
#2 by Rich S. on March 13, 2019 - 10:16 PM
John, we currently are closing in on 2 years working off the expired contract. We have ALS fire companies and BLS fire companies to assist the ambulances the program works better now than when we had BLS ambulances. Every cargo plane that lands at O’hard is equivalent of 1 million $ in revenue to the city.
#3 by John Antkowski on March 13, 2019 - 3:00 PM
Rich S. I’m glad to hear from someone from the department. I wish that we had staffing contractual. I’m on Milwaukee and our city fathers went hard on us with cuts. I don’t know if it was a power struggle between a democratic mayor and a republican governor. I hope that the CFD’s future is brighter. I know that they are working without a contact for some time now. I didn’t realize that O’hare was that profitable? I agree with you about not losing that cash cow!! I more thought, Do you have enough FF/P’s to establish more ALS rigs? With more, care could be started before the ambulance arrives? Thus, easing the burden of the Meds with all of the patient care. In Milwaukee, run with PFR’s and they help start ALS care or downgrade the run to BLS and patient goes with a private ambulance. I hope for the best. John
#4 by rich S. on March 12, 2019 - 4:42 PM
The city of Chicago will never declare bankruptcy because they would stand to loose O’Hare tax revenue the city is mismanaged and run poorly has been for decades. The amount of money that the city brings in is astounding. Why do you think they were able to offer 900 million in TIF money for the Lincoln Yards development. And the notion that we are going to operate like the suburbs do with Ambulances going to fires is not realistic. Not for a very long time. We don’t have the number of members in order to accomplish. It’s amusing to read all these grand ideas and thoughts but your way off base.
#5 by rich S. on March 12, 2019 - 4:35 PM
The Chicago Fire Department has a very good Fire and EMS program. I have worked in the CFD for nearly 20 years the BLS program was a failure from the start, it never really eased the load off the ALS rigs. Two medics on the ambulances is contractual as well as System required so that is not going to change anytime soon, the number of engines and trucks as well as there manning is also contractual. The run volume of fire and EMS has steadily climbed. The current number of engines is and trucks works well however we do need several more ambulances to ease the amount of runs on certain ambulances who are consistently running 20-25 in 24hrs daily. I believe ambulance 10 had 8500 runs last year. That’s a tremendous amount of runs on members. Hopefully the new Mayor will realize the value and importance of both the fire and police departments and provide the necessary Manpower, equipment, training and support for the men and women out serving the citizens of the city 24/7/365.
#6 by Wayne on March 9, 2019 - 5:00 PM
Two paramedics per ambulance isn’t a city policy, it’s a mandate that comes from the EMS system so the mayor can’t change that.
#7 by Mike on March 8, 2019 - 3:07 PM
Chicago has historically never really funded the fire department well. In 2000 Lt. LC Merrill was killed in an accident on an apparatus with no seat belts and the city finally bout new apparatus after that. The truck LC was riding in was built in 1975. Chicago is an ISO class 1 department and a lot of that has to do with response times. Close companies and response times go up. Same with manpower. In 1980 they went on strike to secure 5 man staffing. With the 5 man staffing they can limit responses like only sending 2 engines and 2 trucks on stills. If it turns into a fire they get a squad and RIT truck. In the suburbs to equal their response it would take around 10-15 companies.
Watching the interviews I think at least lori lightfoot knows the importance of the fire department and that all the studies keep showing not to reduce companies but that they need to actually add a few more engines and truck companies and even an additional squad company. Als the EMS division needs 15-20 more ambulances. You still have 10-15 ambulances running over 5,000 runs a year. The BLS program wasn’t a bad program other then the way guys were assigned to the ambulances. If the city can come up with a way to assign people to BLS ambulances or hire single role WMT-B’s like they hire single role paramedics the program may work better.
#8 by John Antkowski on March 8, 2019 - 1:13 PM
Mike Mc, You have some valid points. I agree that the CFD is in for a huge wake up call. I have asked the same questions but they fell onto deaf ears. With the state of Illinois in lousy shape financially, I can’t see the city of Chicago doing any better. When money gets tight the first to go is the fire protection. It’s the easiest to cut. I work in Milwaukee and in my 14 years 1/3 of the department has been cut. I would not be surprised if we end up with 3 on a rig. A boss a driver and 1 firefighter. I walked peacefully at city hall to keep the 5th person the Truck company’s. Today We are down to 8 city wide. When I came on in 2005 there were 16 granted 2 became Rescues. I don’t agree with one emt-p to an ambulance. Paramedicine is a highly stressful science and that would be to much for one person to control. I hope that the mayor is fire department friendly. Sorry to say, minimum staffing might be a thing of the past for Chicago.
#9 by Mike Mc on March 8, 2019 - 11:37 AM
Wouldn’t the average response time of either an advanced life support fire company or ambulance to the scene be much more important? The new mayor, whomever it is, will want to cut costs and privatizing some removals will be looked at. The 24 hour shift for paramedics, insistence on two paramedics per ambulance (can’t have an EMT/FF drive the ambo), and the impossibility of placing fire companies out of service or reducing company staffing to fund more ambulances will no longer be untouchable – “contract” – sacred cows in future negotiations and will go out the window completely if the city has to declare bankruptcy. Not what you want to hear, I know, but just how high do you think they can raise property taxes before the people start asking embarrassing questions and an educated public demand changes? Do really think when the average citizen knows that there are paramedic officers in charge and paramedic commanders and, once informed, will not ask why such positions as necessary? If they want 100 ambos they are going to have to be staffed by FF paramedics that can do both jobs and provide extra staffing on the fire ground just like most suburbs and also company staffing will be have to be either reduced to four per company or eight fire companies will have go out of service. Local 2 can no longer serve two masters. Not enough money to go around. Blast away with the comments, but please consider the future.