LA City Fire Eyes Bigger EMS Presence At Dodger Stadium
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The next time you go to Dodger Stadium, you could see more emergency personnel parked outside.
KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports a City Council panel is considering a motion to deploy city ambulances and fire department personnel at Dodger home games.
City Fire eyes bigger presence at Dodger Stadium
The City Council's Public Safety Committee has cleared the Los Angeles Fire Department to provide enhanced safety at all Dodgers home games, but the City Attorney still needs to determine whether such an agreement would violate the City Charter.
A letter of agreement (PDF) posted on the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC) website outlined the proposal, which would provide two ALS rescue ambulances, one BLS rescue ambulance and one EMS captain for every home game.
The trial program beginning Mar. 30 would "end the regular use of 'privates' at...a major gathering place in our jurisdiction," according to the UFLAC website.
Councilman Mitch Englander, head of the Public Safety Committee, said he expects the proposal to move forward.
"My understanding is the City Attorney...has already given preliminary indication that we have the legal ability because it's a venue we're already servicing for transport anyway," Englander said.
While City Fire crews are already the primary source for transporting patients in the event of an emergency at Dodger Stadium, AP Diaz with the City Attorney's office said the plan does not infringe upon private business.
"That's within the scope of what the fire department does in a city," Diaz said. "This is just an enhanced version."
An agreement needs to be drafted before the City Council will vote on the proposal.
