After consideration and absorption of statements by the involved officials- I'm coming out AGAINST the KC-MO Fire department takeover of MAST-EMS.
My primary reason is money.
KCFD Chief Richard "Smokey" Dyer himself said he's not sure if the City will save any money in such a consolidation.
Another reason is the considerable logistics required.
MAST-EMS employee issues abound- from pensions and retention of seniority to age and residency differences.
Employee morale- both KCFD & MAST would become at least somewhat of an issue with 2 sets of rules and requirements.
Dispatch would shift probably to the KCFD/PD dispatch center at 1111 Locust. You're going to have to add several new dispatchers per shift to handle this load.
MAST has an about 12-year-old headquarters- dispatch center and garage in a refurbished K-Mart building at 6700 East Eastwood Trafficway. Who will do what with this facility that I wonder if it's fully paid-for?
The ambulances themselves will have to be re-marked- or re-painted.
With all those factors- I think it is going to COST the City money in the short-term at the very least.
Therefore- Phil & to wit- I'm agin' any consolidation of the KCFD and MAST-EMS at this time.
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