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| Yesterday afternoon, County Commissioners were provided a final written report on the Public Safety Department from former director of Public Safety and special Ombudsman Janice Kilgore |
Commissioners were provided with BCC Ombudsman Janice Kilgore's written report on issues within PS late yesterday afternoon.
The report section is actually a very succinct 6 pages, followed by the complete PowerPoint Presentation that was given the board last Thursday. The final portion of the 37-page report is exhibits and attachments.
The entire report is actually a very short read-- but her bullet points of suggestions and areas for improvement going forward provide great information for the board and the administrative leadership to consider. And there are some issues that need to be addressed that are covered in this report--from better resource allocation from the BCC to the division, to better use of employees within the division, to the need to update some policies and procedures. The important thing to consider is that the information is useful, timely, and benficial.
Again I will re-iterate my thanks to Janice Kilgore-- a retired veteran of the Escambia EMS Department--for her hard work in producing this information for the BCC. It is unfortunate that some in the media, and some in leadership, sought to sabotage this effort before it was even able to be concluded.
Upon reading the report--I think even the skeptics will note that it provides useful, unbiased and important data and that Amy Lovoy's initiative in bringing in Mrs. Kilgore to do this assessment was a solid and beneficial one..
MY BIG TAKE AWAY FROM THE KILGORE REPORTs :
1. The Last Escambia EMS random state inspection in July of 2018 was passed with flying colors--from the report:
"The Florida Department of Health conducted a routine inspection of EMS on July 31,2018. Areas inspected included personnel records, service records and facilities inspection, ALS and BLS vehicle inspection and equipment test results. No deficiencies were found. Further, the inspector noted this was an outstanding inspection with excellent employee and service records as well as a good Quality Assurance Quality Improvement (QA/QI) program" (see the written evaluation here)
2. Not every firefighter agreed with the no confidence vote taken against Mike Weaver. from the report:
"The Fire and EMS unions provided public statements regarding a vote of no confidence for Director Weaver. During discussions, some indicated the vote was due to the resignation of Chief Nail. Others mentioned they did not feel Director Weaver was properly presenting the needs of Public Safety to County Administration and the Commissioners. In a conversation with the President of the Volunteer Fire Association, he indicated they did not hold a vote of no confidence and did not agree with the one taken by the career firefighters. He said they supported Director Weaver in his position."
3. The Employees that do the job are doing the job well and are certified to do the work they do. from the report:
"...These employees are dedicated, caring individuals properly trained and certified for the job. Every day they are helping people in emergency situations and it is unfortunate the good they are doing is seldom heard. Continued support and appreciation from County leaders as well as from the citizens they serve is needed."
I'll discuss several of the management and financial issues highlighted and challenges we face that were spotlighted in this document in follow-on posts.
11 comments:
Great summary, Commissioner. You seem to be the only person in there whose main priority isn't spinning the media. If that DoH investigation comes back looking the same way, I don't see how you can possibly avoid firing the EMS Director. She's already going to get you sued by every person who rides in an ambulance for the next year. If her allegations don't pan out, you'll probably get sued by half of your current and former employees as well.
Agreed. She is discrediting those EMS providers and using language that anyone who wants to sue could win. The reason her training was delayed was due to not having a scope of work for those vendors to submit a reliable bid.
This medical director is overstepping her authority. She needs another medical director to manage EMS so she can concentrate on the jail. Her inexperience in EMS medical direction is clear. She doesn't know how to be close her mouth which will get BCC in multiple law suits.
Emergency training that isn't required to perform duties isn't the correct definition of an emergency. Her ATLS training is required just like CPR and ACLS are for EMTs. Trauma and pediatric training is extra and you can still work without it it's nice to her but it's not an emergency. She must have some connection with the rescue one company to push for them hard.
Why would one report their own organization to DOH? It would seem logical to remedy the problem instead of exacerbate it.
I believe there are going to be a lot of revelations about what has really been happening at the hands of EMS and Fire "leadership" during the last year come to light at the BOCC meeting tomorrow morning. And it's about time. EMS staff has suffered this ridiculous smear campaign, and a toxic workplace environment, long and hard enough. They are good people and do not deserve what has been visited on them. The truth will always out in the end.
Melissa Pino
DR. Edler declined to interview with Mrs. Kilgore (noted in the report)
From an older article:
"In a June 2018 internal memo, Human Resources Director Eric Kleinert informed then Public Safety Director Mike Weaver about his review of EMS complaints.
Kleinert stated that he had completed his review of “competing complaints” between Edler and four members of EMS administration — then EMS Chief Steve White, Section Chief Kate Kenney, Commander Rebecca Brownfield, and Captain Jim Bonoyer.
“At present, the complainants have contributed to the establishment of a dysfunctional professional environment within EMS. None of the parties are satisfied with the current arrangement and wish to have the situation cured. Therefore, I will focus on the way going forward based on the observations I have made on the situation,” Kleinert wrote.
Kleiner recommended a course of action to resolve the issues, including a better understanding between all parties of responsibilities and levels of authority. “This is to include the supremacy of the Medical Director’s authority in matter under her purview,” he wrote."
Doesn't play well with others..
Or how about this, (from pg. 4):
Effective Use of Work Force
The Medical Director has assigned a road paramedic to her staff to assist in rewriting the protocols. This requires his shift to be covered by either part time employees or overtime. There are other admin positions available to assist the Medical Director EMS Education Coordinator and Section ChiefAdmin/Professional Standards. However, these two individuals filed harassment charges against the Medical Director, so there remains friction.
What I am getting is the enlightened people of Escambia are not supportive of political games, media manipulation, votes of no confidence, smear campaigns, skewing data, not getting along with each other and casting blame. Stop hollering GOB B/S. Get your act and facts together and participate in the process.
Sounds like the Mueller report. Lots of non-information. Have a great day
Sounds like they should have handled this themselves in house and Not try to get a job done via media and drama. I get it didactic vs hands on. Stick a tube down a cadaver not watch it on a video. We don't appreciate the votes of no confidence nor the AMA form. You want drama? Looks like you got it. How many complaints are coming in NOW?
What is this world coming to, people start the blame came to solve a problem.
They make the weather and then stand in the rain and say $^&T it's rainin!! [Cold Mountain]
10-30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2liUwX2c5S4
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