By Bill CareyFireRescue1
PITTSBURGH — A proposal by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire to assume some EMS responsibilities sparked a firestorm, leading to sharp emails and letters from the unions and the EMS chief, according to WPXI.
According to a letter from the medics union obtained by WPXI, the fire department submitted a proposal to the mayor and public safety director to take on some EMS duties, including patient transport and rescue services.
In support of the proposal, firefighters union president Ralph Sicuro wrote the mayor outlining the effects of EMS staffing shortages. Sicuro noted these shortages have resulted in longer on-scene times, increased workloads, fatigue for firefighters and delays in EMS response.
In an email to medics, EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist described the fire department’s actions as a “hostile takeover” and encouraged employees to unite and ratify a contract that was voted down earlier.
“I know everyone enjoys having time off however, because of the pitfalls of the continued cycle of our inability to staff our service, another bureau is actively fighting to take over everything that we have worked for,” Gilchrist said.
In response, firefighters union president Sicuro sent a sharp letter to the mayor, accusing Gilchrist of pressuring employees to accept a contract and claiming it harms the working relationship between Fire and EMS.
“Her recent actions suggest a troubling approach to leadership, one that exacerbates existing tensions between the Fire and EMS bureaus instead of working toward a collaborative and effective resolution,” Sicuro wrote.
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