Although I have made a comment or two on ibrattleboro.com decrying the autocratic manner of selectboard members (we make the decisions, we don’t have to explain), I have been reluctant to speak out about the EMS controversy as I have not made a truly serious effort to become informed. After watching the September 12 EMS forum, I still do not feel capable of analysing which choice is better; but on a gut-feeling basis, I do not trust the Dog-And-Pony-Show put on by Town leadership. A “consensus” of 11 Town employees concerned with their jobs reciting matching opinions, is hardly a genuine consensus.
Still, I wondered what if they are right and EMS run by the fire department actually would be better?
What broke the spell for me was that one of the arguments against Rescue (that a study showed a much better response time for the fire department) turned out to be bogus. Subsequent to that argument having been made; in refutation, someone explained that the longer response time for Rescue was for all of the towns the Rescue serves throughout the county, but that measuring the response time only for Brattleboro for a fair comparison, it turns out that response time for Rescue and for the Fire Department are about the same.
Having heard such a self-serving half-truth, how can I trust anything Town leadership says to promote their sales job? Not one of the eleven staff members on the dias knew the truth and could have made a correction? Not the town manager, nor the assistant town manager? I have had a positive relationship with Patrick for over 25 years. I recently corresponded with our new town manager, and I was gratified to find him gracious and intelligent. I like him alot, even though I now find it hard to trust him on EMS. Putting aside personalities: It is hard not to mistrust the entire story when a deception was permitted to stand, uncorrected.
My life, or the life of someone I care about may depend on the decision. How can I not feel distress at this self-serving deception?
The person who unmasked the deceptive statement
I reviewed the video, and it was former State Senator Jeanette White.
Thank you SK-B
I think you speak for several of us.
Steven K-Brooks Author Studying the Triton Report (pa
Steven K-Brooks
Author
Studying the Triton Report (page 44) for the comparative EMS response times for Rescue and the Fire Department, it turns out that the reported comparison of 6 minutes:13 seconds for the fire department vs. 11 minutes: 03 seconds was false (as former State Senator Jeanette White said) and the actual comparison for EMS response time only in the comparable area, Brattleboro, was 6:13 vs. 8:34.
During Tuesday’s forum, Chief Howard “debunked” White’s statement; still everyone from the Town allowed the false 6:13 vs 11:03 statement to stand. So there was still a deception, just not as large a deception as it first appeared to be. The Triton Report appears to be a diligently-prepared objective analysis. The Town’s sales-efforts are not.
All of the Town department heads allowed the deceptive statement to stand. Since the forum was to inform the pubic, it was not the finest hour for the Town officials who knew better but remained silent.
PS - Level of emergency medical expertise
Besides response time, the comparative level of emergency medical expertise, as William Kraham pointed when he spoke, can make a difference in the patient’s survival.
I do not feel confident enough to venture an opinion regarding that matter, but I hope someone who is familiar with the objective facts will.
Assistant Fire Chief Kier clarifies hat the difference in response time was only 45 seconds
From the Brattleboro Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/groups/8890904701:
The following was posted by Bob Oeser.
Here is Assistant Chief Kier’s clarification in an email sent to me:
Bob,
Liz McLoughlin asked me to provide you the following information:
The table in the AP Triton report is correct. When Rich Buchanan came to town from AP Triton, he met with Rescue Inc. Rescue Inc. on 10/19/23 disputed then; it was a 2-3 minute delay from dispatch causing them to appear to have a slower response.
The AP Triton team then met with Wayne Stires of Brattleboro Central Dispatch. Wayne advised the AP Triton team it was no more than 45 seconds.
Hope this helps.
Be Pleasant,
Chuck