Ok, need to clarify something. I am a paramedic that works full time for a private EMS service. Janesberg, you said "I want a full time professional service for my taxes." I went through the same 1400 hours of training that the men and women of the Janesville Fire department had to accomplish to earn the title Paramedic. Every two weeks, I go through continuing education to keep my skills sharp. I probably have more medical training that JFD, because their training is divided between medical and fire/rescue. Also my service strives to train their staff to a "critical care" level, a step above a normal paramedic. Suggesting that private EMS services are in ANY WAY substandard is absurd. Let me explain to you that some of my transports are critical patients that I have to keep alive during long transports. In some places I go, the nearest hospital is over an hour away and you need to give them 30 mins notice so they can call in a Doctor. I have had doctors ask my opinion about the best way to treat a patient who is having an emergency. My medical skills are second to none. I resent the fact that you imply that my skills are substandard because I work on a private EMS service. Check a paramedic's license, there is no distinction between my license and that of a JFD paramedic. I am not saying that private services are necessary for Janesville, but get your facts right before you imply my training or skills are substandard.

As for a reponse time in general I am not sure. But I recall listening to the police scanner one night and there was an accident in front of the Vine & Vat liqure store on Court St. The officer had to call 3 times for a ambulance and it took them over 20 minutes to arrive 3 blocks away! The officer even stated that he could have driven over there to get help,faster than calling/waiting for the ambulance.

I wonder what the actual resonse time difference is? I know it is a good thing, but maybe til the economy gets better we can do with 4 ambulances. As far as the private thing....I think maybe you should stay in Delavan. I want a full time professional service for my taxes. These men and women are the people i want and are proud to have working for my city and tax dollars!

If you compare this situation to all the similar situations that are going on around the State of Wisconsin and the entire country, it revolves around one thing, taxes. People complain that they may pay a few extra dollars each year to have "adequate" police, fire and EMS services. But, when they need one or the other, they then complain even more because help did not come fast enough. Instead of going to their village/town/city boards, citizens just complain to each other and on blogs like this one. Emergency services is a necessity and it is not a cheap investment for any municipality. And, the lack of volunteers in the smaller communities is making it even costlier to those that reside there. Believe it or not people, all the local villages/towns/cities emergency services are already UNDERSTAFFED. These people not only risk their lives every day dealing with the emergencies, but they risk their lives even more because of not being properly staffed. The costs are not an easy pill to swallow by the municipality as they know that the citizens will complain when taxes are raised. Unfortunately, many of the "leaders" are still afraid to fund the emergency services in order to provide them with adequate equipment and personnel. I know that i would not have a problem if my taxes were raised a little if i knew that i would continue to be safe and have someone there when my life or my families life was in jeopardy. I have even told my municipality leaders this face to face. Have you?

Janesvillean,
Your comments echo what the city council members told me. Salaries come from a different part of the budget than capital expenses such as a new fire station or new city hall. I hope this clears up any confusion.
Beth Wheelock
WCLO

Sheesh, where did this "walking home drunk" issue come from? Does a single person here have proof that that has impacted our ambulance service? It was my understanding that the fire department originally requested the fifth ambulance because of response times based entirely on geographic growth of the department's service area.
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The problem with the ambulance isn't buying the vehicle, it's being prepared to add full staffing (and maintenance) for that vehicle year in and year out. That means a substantial increase in EMTs on staff. A single staff person surely costs the department $100,000 or more a year in salary, insurance, and training. Each vehicle needs six EMTs for 24-hour staffing.
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So if you skip a capital expense like the bike tunnel, guess what? You've just provided money for more EMTs for ONE YEAR. These aren't even comparable.
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When you're actually working on a budget you have to distinguish between capital expenses (investment) and operating expenses (salaries and such). To increase the personnel at the fire department would mean decreasing personnel someplace else. What should we cut? Police? Lawn mowing? Street repair? Those are the budget items that are competing with the ambulances.

I know of $670,000 that we have available...

The Fire Department should have a 5th ambulance on the west side, especially since 80+% of their runs are medically related (each station has a fire engine to cover only 20% of the runs? - doesn't make sense we are neglecting the same amount of resources to those medicals!) Minutes are life and death - the council needs to realize that! The department, I am sure, frequently runs multiple calls simultaneously, so hypothetically if the north and east side fire stations are involved in incidents and say, a person (or child god forbid) goes into cardiac arrest at Wal-Mart, the responding unit may be coming from the south-side fire station I assume - minutes are life and death remember. As far as the intoxicated individuals and the police, I am sure that since Janesville offers full-time a fire department, police officers legally cannot treat those injuries since they may not be trained how (JPD cars don't even have defibrillators or medical bags - inter-department politics I am sure) It would be nice to train the police department to be EMT's or medical First responders, and probably be beneficial to the community, but if the cops do the paramedics job, what do we need paramedics for? This may justify a smaller fire department, and unions would get involved in that one. Sometimes our city administrators and department heads should take politics out of the question, get their heads together, pool some ideas, and give the citizens of this community what they deserve - better, all-around service! (at least they are being proactive about safety with the the bike tunnel - I am sure by consturcting it, it would significantly decrease the amount of pedestrian-vehicle collisions there, thus reducing a potential paramedic call there, thus justifying only 4 ambulances instead of 5 - thats their thinking on that one I bet.....but wait, I don't recall any accidents happening there - maybe it IS a safe crosswalk!

Well if the tunnel gets put in hopefully we wont need that ambulance....im so joking.
But yea I agree on the cops calling an ambulance for every little thing is a joke. Maybe we should just purchase a stripped down ambulance (used) and equip it with some bandaids and a bed, so when people stub their toes, tip their bike over, or fall down drunk we can dispatch that ambulance instead of wasting the other more valuable ones.

I totally agree with Hannah and Windsor- I think its more important to have an ambulance than a bike tunnel or a children's museum. A life is much more important. We need to spend our money more wisely.

just remember WE NEED A TUNNEL AND MUSEUM first. get the priorties right!!!

"When asked for an explanation of the budget constraints, the city administration declined comment."
The city manager was too busy cleaning out his office in preparation of his retirement in a couple of weeks and putting out bids for a commemorative placard for the Steve Sheiffer Memorial Tunnel.

2Xloser- Better check on your statement (hope you are correct, but don't really see it) After being in the profession for over 13 yrs, and seeing other communities with the "Private Abu Services" Where do you think or how do you think they get their billing taken care of, They have to set up contracts with the city and outlying townships (and those contracts cost money) so the contracts are paid from ....uhmm Taxes...those poeple who work with them also get paid from funds that the townships and city pay the service... the average cost of an Ambulance (with no equipment on board) runs about 130- 225 thousand (cost might be a little on the high side,, but not by much) then add equipment(ie. Communication. medical supplies depending on what level of service you plan on providing, and the hardware-> stretchers back boards, Stair chairs and back support (for extrication).. you can add atleast 25-50 thousand dollars more....all from either private donations or "City/Department budgets" (yes taxpayers moneies)...like I said before .. I hope you are right but after being on a buget commitee for a private service and city run deprtment, the cost from the taxpayers are still there whether or not you have a private of city run deprtment...

Haha, comparing Janesville to City of Delavan.
DRSI is the way it is because of their "leader" and his outright need for more money and power. Been there, done that, know better. Janesville Fire should stay the way it is so the people have power, not one person.

Perhaps the City of Janesville should follow the City of Delavan's lead and privatize their ambulance service. The City of Delavan's wonderful service has been a private organization for years - with more ambulances than Janesville (far fewer people living in Delavan, I might add) - non tax supported - with cutting edge equipment. Just a thought.

Took the words right out of my mouth Windsor.

We "need" a children's museum and bike tunnel but can't afford an ambulance?