By Georgia East
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel
MIRAMAR, Fla. — The city is considering outsourcing its fire rescue dispatch services to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, a Miramar commissioner confirmed Tuesday.
The reason is economic, said Vice Mayor Troy Samuels, who would like to see the city reduce its proposed tax rate of $6.90 per $1,000 assessed value. There was no breakdown on the personnel costs of fire dispatch services alone, but fire-rescue services cost the city about $23 million.
“We’re looking at all of our options,” Samuels said.
Nothing has been decided, but the possibility has city dispatchers fuming. They fear such a deal would put them out of jobs and hurt the community they serve.
“I feel betrayed,” said fire dispatcher Ericca Randall. “Some of our residents have special medical needs. We know some by their addresses. It’s going to be different when they don’t have dedicated Miramar dispatchers taking their calls.”
The Sheriff’s Office is in talks with Miramar officials. Should they move forward with the proposal, it will likely be voted on before a new budget is adopted.
Samuels said preliminary plans call for all 11 dispatchers to be transferred to the Sheriff’s Office, where they would have a job for at least a year.
But city dispatchers say they stand to lose vacation days, pensions and other benefits if they’re transferred.
They are mounting a campaign to stay with the city via e-mail and Facebook and many say they plan to attend a Sept. 2 City Commission meeting.
Rubi Herrera, who has worked as a dispatcher for the past eight years, said she and her colleagues are able to quickly identify subdivisions in gated communities when they get emergency calls, and their familiarity with the city helps get units to their destinations faster.
“We’re like a family here,” said dispatcher Glenda Armstrong.
Copyright 2009 South Florida Sun-Sentinel