Michael Bobbitt: Notes from the Peanut Gallery (Public Safety Committee September 15, 2014)


Public Safety Committee met to discuss the Fire Marshal EMS Director position that is now vacant as a result of the abrupt resignation of the former Fire Marshal EMS Director. The Public Safety Committee is comprised of three commissioners, Dan Brummitt, Gordon Wilder, and Eddie Wright. Commissioner Wright’s attendance was virtual while Commissioners Brummitt and Wilder physically attended the meeting. Two battalion fire chiefs, Leon Overton and Mike Pitzing, battalion EMS chief Mark Minish, and Darin Small, Townsville Fire Chief, were physically in attendance. Additionally in attendance were Jerry Asycue, County Manager, Jordan McMillan, Deputy County Manager, Argretta Johen, Director Human Resources, and David Beck, Finance Manager.

Ms. Johen, opened the meeting stating her understanding is that both the Human Resources Committee and the Public Safety Committee are to present to the full Board a recommendation as to the best way to fill the opening. Commissioners Brummitt and Wilder along with Chairwoman Brown are the HR Committee members. Ms. Johen summarized the HR Committees’ suggestions as two basic choices. One option is to make no changes to the current organizational structure and hire one person for both fire chief and EMS director. The other option is to split the organizational structure into fire and EMS services each with its own chief. Commissioner Brummitt added that having responsibility of fire chief and fire marshal in one person may be a potential for conflict. Both Commissioners Brummitt and Wilder stated the intention of the meeting was to listen to the opinions of the battalion chiefs on their preference for the structured.

Mr. Overton started the discussion saying he recommends to separate positions. His reasoning was that EMS has become so large it requires its own head to oversee the operation and staffing needs. Mr. Overton added that he did not foresee any issue with the role of fire chief and fire marshal in one person so long as the person is certified to do both tasks. In answer to Commissioner Gordon question, Mr. Overton stated his understanding was that the fire chief is chief over a fire department and the fire marshal is chief over the entire county. Mr. Overton added that the former chief was a certified fire inspector. Mr. Pitzing added that neighboring counties differ in management structure of fire and EMS similar to what is being considered. The majority of the meeting was spent discussing the concept, of splitting the job responsibilities and the workings of the fire and EMS departments. During the discussion Mr. Pitzing pointed out that EMS service has not grown in the past fifteen years. Needless to say the population has increased and the service needs of the populations has changed over that time. Listening to the discussion one heard dedicated knowledgeable battalion chiefs explain the county’s fire and EMS service needs as they answered Commissioners Brummitt’s and Wilder’s question.

Commissioner Brummitt stated that a key reason for not splitting the job responsibilities has been budgetary. Budgetary issues have blocked and prevented achievement of many of this counties objectives. The meeting wrapped up with a request for Ms. Johen to prepare job descriptions and salary structure for presentation to the public safety committee. Mr. Beck was asked to look into utilizing Covenant Solutions, Inc., to recover costs for fire and EMS services. Covenant Solutions specializes “… in recovering incident response costs for services provided by Fire Departments and Rescue Squads through “Non Tax Based” revenue reimbursement sources. …” I think recovering incident response costs is taking claim to money due from insurance providers when insured property is damaged or an insured person is injured.

Something else you might not be aware yet is common. If you have experienced a major medical trauma, critically injured in a car crash, suffer a life threatening gunshot wound, or a Fred and Marvin major heart attack, Vance County EMS is transporting you Durham or Chapel Hill, not to Maria Parham. Maria Parham is not equipped to handle Level 1 trauma. I use to commute the 42 minute trip on I 85 from the county line to within two miles of the Duke trauma center. For the patient and the EMS staff that has to be the longest 42 minute trip.

The meeting closed with approval to allocate $40,000 of unbudgeted taxpayers’ money to purchase 25 bullet proof vests for EMS and fire persons. One has to wonder what has happened to society when fire persons and especially EMS personnel are at risk to bodily harm from gun shots and knives when simply responding to a medical emergency.

Listen to the audio for full details of the meeting.