By: Diane Benjamin
Tonight the Downs Fire Protection Board is meeting at 7:00 pm. I have no idea what is on the agenda since it isn’t posted online. They have a Facebook page, it would be nice if they would use it for posting agendas!
The people of Downs agreed to a tax for local ambulance service. There is talk about disbanding the Downs service and subcontracting service from Leroy.
I do not believe this is on the agenda tonight!
If you want to make sure your ambulance service stays local attend the meeting and tell the 5 person board. Stop it before it’s too late.
Citizens should attend these meetings. This is a largely ignored board providing essential services. Ignoring them could mean no service when you absolutely need it!
I don’t know the details of the situation, but playing devil’s advocate…
Everything’s a trade-off – Yes, it’s good to have local ambulance service, but is it worth the cost? Looking at both ridiculous extremes, one could argue ‘health and safety are of utmost importance’ and have an ambulance at the ready on every block, or one could argue to minimize costs and eliminate all small-town ambulance service altogether and make people wait for an ambulance from Bloomington.
The best answer is obviously something in between. Perhaps that best answer includes local service for Downs, perhaps it includes less-effective service but with cost savings for both Downs and LeRoy, perhaps it’s something else. I don’t claim to know the answer, but there’s nothing with with looking at options when seeking that best balance.
I hear they run a surplus, money isn’t the problem
Is it worth the cost you ask? Absolutely it is! Is Downs district only in the town of Downs? No, it is not! I am an EMT on the ambulance at Downs and I will say yes, I’m sure you can look at ways to get a cheaper option. To go to waiting for services to save a few dollars here and there. You can up and put your 6 fulltime EMT’s without an income or insurance for their family’s when those same 6 EMT’s sacrifice their lives, health, sanity at times, holidays, time with their family’s, and being there at night with their babies to be the one to hold them when they cry so that they can be there to hold your babies and even you when you cry and are scared. Downs district has several schools in their district. Is it worth the wait if something happened at school to your child? Downs district has several large bodies of water. Is it worth the weight if a loved one is needing cpr after being brought out of the water? Downs district also has a section of highway, railroad tracks, and an airport not far away. In my opinion why should you wait for a tragedy to realize how important it is to have us here close, ready, and wanting to help? I personally have my heart in Downs EMS. I see the potential we have to offer and would love to one day upgrade our service to advanced Life Services for the community. I personally still have my dad due to pre hospital care! I am very passionate how important it is and how important a couple minutes is in an emergency!!! I hope the community will always stand with us to help us fight for you to have the best pre hospital care available!!! I won’t stop fighting for all of you until you make me stop. I’m kind of like the COVID… no matter how hard you try to be rid of me… I’m still here fighting for ems existence!
Huge property tax dumps – for fire and emergency and schools – Maybe the rich in that area don’t care
Not sure
THEY SHOULD PRIVATIZE, THE AMBULANCE SERVICES ANYWAY…. More efficient and NO GOVERNMENT !!!
Bloomington used to be private, they quit