Vote to Change 911 Dispatch is Jan. 15
Under the proposed change, firefighters and paramedics would no longer both be dispatched to minor 911 calls, such as those about a fall or a sick person.
Next week, Pinellas County Commissioners are scheduled to vote on a resolution that will change the way firefighters and ambulances respond to emergency 911 calls throughout the county. The vote is the third phase in Pinellas County's effort to streamline its 911 dispatch system. In September, the Largo City Commission supported Pinellas County Administrator Bob LaSala's recommendation to dispatch just Sunstar ambulances on certain calls for emergency service. "We have the Cadillac of systems in Pinellas County, and we can no longer afford it. We need to get costs under control," said Pinellas County Commissioner Susan Latvala. Under the proposed change, firefighters and paramedics, or "first responders," would no longer both be dispatched…
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