Salinas Fire: Paramedic Services to continue for now

UPDATE 6/19/18: Salinas city leaders voted on a contract extension for the paramedics crew.

On Tuesday night, council members approved a move to extend the Salinas Fire Department’s Paramedic Service Provider Agreement with Monterey County until July 31st. This will also give the council time to work on a new contract.

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Salinas firefighters said they’re going to continue offering paramedic services to the community. The department had been under fire for allegedly faking documents stating paramedics completed mandatory training, when they hadn’t.

“I stand behind my men and women that those allegations are fruitless,” said Josh Hostetter, president of the Salinas Firefighters Union.

Flanked by members of Salinas Fire and other neighboring agencies, Hostetter said despite the accusations, paramedic services would continue.

The Salinas Fire Department Paramedic Service Provider Agreement with Monterey County could have ended on Friday, but now the two entities are ironing out a memorandum of understanding. The contract is set to expire on June 30. However, the Salinas City council will look at extending the contract until July 31, while at the same time, work on a new two year contract.

“The city as a team, combined with fire management, city council, the city manager’s office and the mayor, we’re going to be moving forward to finalize an agreement with Monterey County EMS, with our partners at the county,” Hostetter said.

Salinas City Manager Ray Corpuz said his office has launched an investigation into the allegations. It should wrap up at the end of July.

We spoke to Corpuz when the allegations came out back in May. He said, “We are taking this very serious which is why our office is leading the investigation. We want to create an independent review and make sure we get to the bottom of these issues and take the appropriate action.”

He went on to say if the allegations were in fact true, terminations would be likely.

In the meantime, the paramedics say their work saves lives, that they can do things EMT’s cannot, like provide advanced life care such as starting IV lines, administering cardiac drugs or reversing diabetic comas.

“There’s interventions that paramedics can make by going inside the body that an EMT can’t necessary make while staying on the outside of the body,” Hostetter said.

Someone saved by Salinas Fire medics wanted to share her story.

“The fire paramedics assessed my situation, found out what was going on as we were unsure what was happening with me, were able to tell me and inform me that I was having a heart attack, started giving me care immediately,” Lynette Snow recounted. “It’s because of them I got to see my son graduate last year from high school.”