***EVERY VOICE MATTERS***JULY 25 @ 6pm***READ ON...
On June 21st the Fire Commissioners of East Manatee Fire Rescue held a workshop on Advanced Life Support to gather information that would empower them to make an informed decision on whether or not to bring Advanced Life Support to East Manatee. Speakers like Deputy Chief Jay Johnson of West Manatee Fire Rescue, Chief Robert Bounds of Southern Manatee Fire Rescue and Chief Michael Rampino of North River Fire Rescue, all from departments within our county where Advanced Life Support is currently a benefit they provide to the citizens they serve, were clear in their support of providing such services to its citizens, the benefits it offers and emphatically stated if they had to do it all over again, THEY WOULD! Additionally, they each offered their support to East Manatee Fire Rescue in implementing Advanced Life Support, adding, "you wouldn't have to reinvent the wheel."
HOWEVER, despite the wealth of information shared, WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP to sway those fire commissioners on the fence on whether we, the citizens of East Manatee, deserve the benefits of Advanced Life Support offered to our neighbors in West, South and North Manatee County. I know I do, don't you?
The situation with EMS continues to deteriorate making it more and more difficult for EMS to meet the needs of our county. The post above posted just 1 day ago (July 7th) stresses THE IMPORTANCE FOR EMFR TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO IMPLEMENT ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT NOW to supplement the services EMS is struggling to provide. The process takes about 3 to 4 years to be fully operational throughout the department, so if they don't start the process now, THEN WHEN?
With nearly 26,500 residents in Lakewood Ranch, and even more making up East County, THE TIME IS NOW!
I urge you to sign this petition AND ATTEND THE MEETING ON MONDAY, JULY 25th AT 6:00PM AT 3200 LAKEWOOD RANCH BLVD, AT THE EMFR ADMIN BUILDING. Sign up to speak at the meeting when you arrive or simply attend in support of the cause. It is too late to vote those Fire Commissioners against Advanced Life Support out of office, as the deadline to run against those Fire Commissioners has passed, THEREFORE, WE NEED YOU ON JULY 25TH!!!
We deserve every chance at life, wouldn't you agree? I can't do this alone and I appreciate the support thus far, but we need MORE. And with EMS staffing issues making it harder and harder for them to service our county as a whole, the life saved by having Advanced Life Support services on our fire trucks to implement critical care while awaiting for EMS transport may be the life of your child, your spouse, a family member or friend. Any life saved, if even just one, is worth our fight. I HOPE YOU AGREE.
I hope and pray to see you on Monday, July 25th at 6:00pm at the Fire Commission meeting where they will vote on bringing Advanced Life Support services to the East Manatee Fire District.
Thank you kindly...Michelle Jimenez-Baserva