By Alexander MacInnes
Herald News
Copyright 2007 Herald News

PATERSON, N.J. — Despite talk to the contrary, 37 emergency medical technicians manning the city's ambulances will not be laid off but phased out gradually and replaced by firefighters, according to Mayor Jose "Joey" Torres.

Torres said firefighters are being trained as certified EMTs so that they can fill vacancies in the future in an effort to cut down on staffing redundancy and solve a recent problem of EMTs failing to report for work. It is unclear how much money will be saved.

Still, City Council members lashed out at Torres on Tuesday for what they described as the mayor's push to jettison those civilian employees who work under the Paterson Fire Department. Critics said they opposed the move because EMTs usually live locally, while firefighters tend to move out after a one-year residency in the city.

"It seems to me as if it's open-season on civilian members of the Fire Department," 3rd Ward Councilman William McKoy said Friday.

The city administration has no plans to lay off civilian employees, Torres said. There are 225 firefighters, of which 142 are EMT-certified, according to Deputy fire Chief Edward McLaughlin. Last year, Torres filed an attrition plan with the state Department of Community Affairs outlining steps that could "eliminate the need for its emergency medical technician staff."

"The reality is that we are having a problem with maintaining and ensuring operation of our ambulance service," Torres said. "People don't show up to work."

Torres argued that when firefighters are not out on calls, they can respond to medical emergencies and accidents on the ambulances.

Firefighters are required to live in Paterson for the first year of their service but can then move out after that, Fire Director Glenn Brown said. As for the civilian employees, there is no residency requirement because it is difficult to hire qualified personnel, he added.

"There's not enough qualified personnel for that position utilizing only city residents," Brown said.

Emergency medical technicians work out of firehouses and respond to accidents and other medical emergencies. Unlike paramedics, who operate from the two city hospitals Barnert and St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, EMTs are not authorized to conduct advanced-life support procedures, Brown said.

Starting salaries for both firefighters and technicians are similar, with firefighters receiving $25,064 after six months and EMTs earning almost $22,000, McLaughlin said.

Tina Hines, the union president representing the technicians, did not respond to several telephone calls Friday, seeking comment about absenteeism.

William Filippelli, president of the Paterson Firefighters Association, also did not return telephone calls Friday seeking comment.

Meanwhile, 2nd Ward Councilman Aslon Goow Sr., who chairs the City Council's Public Safety Committee, said he agreed with the concept of replacing EMTs, because of those staffing problems.

"If you're talking about the transition from firefighter into an EMT position, I'm in agreement with it," Goow said.

Larger cities in New Jersey often keep the ambulance and fire department operations separate, according to Howard Meyer, legislative director for the New Jersey State First Aid Council. Camden, Atlantic City and Newark do not dedicate firefighters to ambulance duties, Meyer said. The reason for the practice is that firefighters generally resist such a personnel move, he added.

"I have met very few firefighters," Meyer said, "that tell me that they've become firefighters to do EMS."