Emergency personnel ask for job help

INDIANAPOLIS--Those who are used to saving lives are now working to save their jobs.

Emergency medical services personnel are standing behind Senate Bill 87, which will require medical directors to give a written reason for an EMS employee's termination and the option of a formal hearing for the employee to state his or her case.

Currently, a medical director, who is the EMS supervisor, can fire an employee without giving any reason.  Sen.  Karen Tallian, D-Portage, believes directors, in most cases, misuse their power.

"They've all been political situations in which the medical director has given no reason at all," said Tallian.  "If the medical director believed a person is seriously malfunctioning, they can send a notice to the state EMS director and ask that his license be reviewed.  I don't know how often that happens.  The reason it's not happening is because there are other reasons going on for these cases."

While the bill passed unanimously in the Indiana Senate Pensions and Labor Committee, some believe the bill could bring unintended costs.

"Our concern is from the fiscal standpoint," said Rhonda Cook, director of government affairs and legislative counsel for the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns.  Cook thinks the bill would make an additional expense by having to conduct appeals and hearings for those employees being terminated.

The bill now will be sent to the full Senate for consideration.