Quote:
Originally Posted by sunny46
Has anyone had a recent bad experience with the new Sumter EMS company? We did on Tuesday the 25th. First, they were slow responding to our call and I was told the dispatch mixed up our call! The EMT didn't know how to get out of The Villages to go to Munroe. The EMT working on my husband blew his vein since she didn't know how to do the procedure. I was told Sumter County only has 2 trucks for the whole county!! They recommended we go to Munroe Regional since The Villages nor Leesburg had an EMT doctor. Guess who saw my husband @ Munroe, after laying on a gurney for 6 hours.... a nurse practioner. She said no ENTwould be called. This is a disgrace when the builder just had to build a new cancer center here while we have a great one in Tampa and in the Villages. Why didn't they build a trauma center here instead? There were 5 calls in The Villages while we were in the ambulance!!! Yet traumas have to go to Tampa, Orlando or Gainesville with our aged population!
|
As a former Firefighter/EMT from CT I have followed this transformation since the County commissioners announced the change was a consideration. Personally I am a bit skeptical of the need for the change.
In the Sumter County portion of TV we have now gone from three 24hr staffed ambulances to two 24hr and one "high demand time" coverage rig. Not sure how the logistics of population growth warrant a reduction in coverage but then again there may be future coverage plans that I am not aware of. I also read that the number of former Lake/Sumter medics moving over to the new company were less than anticipated, which means new folks who most likely are not familiar with the coverage area staffing rigs. I would hope at least the crews are split to have old and new riding together. I have had a couple of occasions to see Lake/Sumter at work and have the utmost respect for them. Just last week we did experience the new folks at our neighbors house and had no issues. In most instances my opinion would be to give it time and let the bugs get worked out but personally I would rather have seen higher coverage and then a reduction if necessary vs where we are now. Just an opinion.