Study: Overwhelmed Philadelphia Medics Are Among Busiest In America

January 27, 2012 5:12 AM

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Reporting Michelle Durham

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Heard On, Local, News, Philadelphia, Syndicated Local

By Michelle Durham

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A study of the Philadelphia’s medic units reveals they are incredibly busy. In fact, based on last year’s numbers, two Kensington area based Medic units are the shaping up to be the busiest in the country.

Local 22 President Bill Gault believes Philadelphia operates the busiest EMS system in the country.

“Medic 7, at 21st and Market, did 7,200 runs. Medic 8 did 8,548 runs.”

Both Medic 2 and Medic 8 are in Kensington. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers says people calling
9-1-1 that don’t need too are at the root cause.

“When we find ourselves on calls something you really don’t need a medical unit and you hear a call come in and it’s for a real emergency, it really devastates those members.”

Ayers says citizens need to start calling 3-1-1 for non emergency problems to gain access to free or low-cost City Health Services.

Gault says the medics are working as hard as they can.

“Right now, the whole system is just living on overtime. They are working more than anyone in the United States and there is going to be a breaking point.”

Study: Overwhelmed Philadelphia Medics Are Among Busiest In America

Paul

correction. Medic 2 is located at Kensington & Castor. Medic 7 while busy is farther down the list
Tray

People are using the 911 system as their personal chauffer’s. It’s the entitlement thing. Certain people are entitled to whatever they can get, Welfare, Food Stamps, LiHeap, a ride in an ambulance to the hospital for a paper cut, and other free services that they deserve. This is the reason so many of us have prejudices! Can you blame us. I know the city charges for ambulance service so why doesn’t the government deduct money from their welfare checks and food stamps to pay for the service. OH YEAH…KEEP FOREGETTING THAT THEY ARE ENTITLED TO THE FREE RIDE! I, though, am not because I’m a working tax-paying citizen so I have no entitlements. I’m punished for doing the right thing.
Michael Gove

Wise One -not so much.
Your arguement holds more water when you look at this from the perspective of socio-economics and stop the race-baiting. Poor white trash is a problem too.
Bill B,

the busiest medic units in the city service predominantly black and hispanic neighborhoods. with a small percent of those communities being asian and even smaller percent being white. the majority of the runs serviced by medic units in the white community are retirement homes and runs into the black neighborhoods. socio-economics has zero to do with good common sense. when a call comes in for hiccups, a chipped tooth, a rolled ankle, and “i can’t sleep”, i defy anyone to tell me that this nonsense is a result of “poor social standing”. stop with the excuses and call the real issue what it is.