Recently, there have been many questions and comments from the community concerning the privatization of Sedona Fire District’s ambulance services.

The question is what is best for our community, financially, and the level of service needed for a positive patient outcome.

I have contacted approximately 25 fire departments, fire districts, and dignitaries to discuss Ambulance Services. My goal was to obtain information in regards to privatizing Ambulance Service and to see if there is a better way for the Sedona Fire District to provide this service. After explaining our current Ambulance Service Operations and protocols, they could not understand why there would be any reason to even entertain the possibility of privatizing our current Ambulance Service.

The most common dialogue with the contacts included:

Response time

Level of Services with trained firefighters/paramedics

Operational effectiveness

Fiscal efficiency, including revenue generation

Another portion of the discussions included our geographical area which is complex with many emergency challenges. Therefore, it makes more sense to utilize our own specialized trained firefighters to provide Ambulance Services. Larger districts with larger systems benefit by fire-based Ambulance Services because of the geographical area and response times. Private Ambulance Services work in cities or districts where everything is centrally located.

The major difference is the provision of fire-based Ambulance Service is rooted in quality and cost effective service, unlike the private sector whose service is based on profit. By its very nature, a private company must generate a profit in order to be sustainable. In the interest of larger profit margins, critical aspects of the system such as training, modern equipment, additional response apparatus and personnel, and safety standards can be sacrificed. When the level of commitment to the community is directly tied to the profit generated by the community, service can and will diminish when compared to that which is provided under a public service model. When the profit disappears, so do the private providers.

Due to the training, expertise, and equipment of SFD-based EMS responders, they are capable of simultaneously securing a scene, mitigating the hazard, triaging, extricating,

treating, decontaminating (if necessary), and transporting the patients who have been injured to an appropriate medical facility. This is only accomplished because they respond from strategically placed Fire Stations, have a high level of ongoing training, and practice as a team.

During Sedona Fire District’s 53 year history in this community, Emergency Medical Service took a long time to develop to where it is today. Time efficiency is a key component of the best designed EMS systems. There is no service more capable of rapid multi-faceted response than a fire-based EMS system.

The Sedona Fire District firefighters are cross-trained to provide technical and Advanced Life Support services. From start to finish, when the alarm is sounded, we handle the patient. The patient’s first contact with our firefighters is critical to maintain trust and necessary treatment until they are safely transferred to hospital emergency room personnel. This results in the best patient care outcome and demonstrates our commitment and ownership within the community.

Nazih M. Hazime

Fire Chief, Sedona Fire District