Sounds to me like theyre in violation of the settlement. Time to pay up.

DC needs to take EMS out of the FD so they can be replaced with professional medics. You dont here stuff like this about Boston because we dont allow firefighters to provide medical care. If we did, wed be in the situation as DC

Ferris, there are thousands of fire-based paramedics doing an outstanding job every day, and Im not an FF, so please dont assume a bias on my part.

DCs problems are much larger than just being fire service. If you put the same staff in a third service or private system with the same vacuum of quality leadership, nothing would change.

As somone who works for the city, the problem has always rested with poor management. They are a body of people composed of firefighters only. The Medical Director is here on paper only -- no involvement with providers at all. The only people who can ever rise to any level of respected authority MUST be a ff with a P (paramedic) behind his/her title. The recent promotions of captains is a smoke screen. They are merely rapid response single tier medical reponse units. They (management) listens to one Assistant Fire Chief with a P behind his title as the almighty EMS leader with no experience under his belt. Phil Mendleson knows exactly what the problem is and what the problem has been for years, this isnt new. For example, EMS was to receive equal pay and benefits. Has it happened yet? No! Will it ever happen? No. Why? because the fire chief listens to the Mayor only and shows no respect for council. Council performs TV hearings that arent worth the time to watch. So you wonder why EMS is not prepared? We will never be prepared until a Professional Management Medical Team with a Medical Director who runs all aspects of EMS is in place. Maryland and VA and Boston EMS laughs at DC and I dont blame them.