Recorded on: June 24th, 2016
Air Date: June 27th, 2016
The Fire Departments of Eugene and Springfield have regularly cooperated in covering each other’s needs in times of emergencies, as do many adjacent fire protection and ambulance districts. Lane County’s two largest fire protection and emergency medical response providers have perfected this mutual aid agreement into an operational and management merger of two municipal city fire departments. Essentially the two independent city fire departments fight fires and deliver emergency services seamlessly, as if from one organization.
Recently promoted Eugene Springfield Fire Chief Joe Zaludek, with 30 years experience and training with Eugene Fire and the combined departments, will provide insights into how the merger came about and what’s next. Does the Eugene Springfield metropolitan area have optimal fire and EMS coverage, or do steps need to be taken to improve services? Are costs equitable? What is the state of our Emergency Medical Response system? Does the public-private partnership with a private ambulance company under contract with the cities improve EMS services?
A functional consolidation of fire and emergency medical response operations has been in place since at least 2010. This has been enhanced through integration and consolidation of many leadership positions in the two city fire departments. Today we have a fully integrated service delivery model. Chief Zaludek and other Department leaders will bring us up-to-date on the merger and how it affects our day-to-day lives.
copyright, 2016 KLCC