Flathead Beacon | Breaking: Kalispell Fire Chief Retires

Comments on: Breaking: Kalispell Fire Chief Retires

By frodo on 07-31-08

How does it take a year for a new fire chief? Maybe the have to pay the out going chief a years worth of salary to leave. Jim patrick should be a sign to all about what is wrong at the city. “We knew, they did not need to know” There is open dialogue that will bring the trust back between the union and city

By John Duke on 08-01-08

Chief Brodehl retires! Is the equivalent of stating, “Nixon Retired”. Brodehl retired because he being the impediment and destructive force that he was in Kalispell Fire Department was asked to leave by 100% of the firefighters through a vote of no confidence as well as the city managements and other related staff finally having enough of his, “my way or the highway attitude”. The city of Kalispell taxpayers just forked over a six figure “settlement” or “severence” whatever you would like to call it, just to pay him to go and go without a bunch of fuss. Finally with the hurdle of Randy Brodehl gone for good, Kalispell Fire may be able to hold firefighters longer and build the type of department they are so capable and willing to be. Goodbye Randy.

-Friend of a firefighter

By Neighbor on 08-01-08

Brodehl had absolutely NOTHING TO DO WITH BRINGING PARAMEDICS TO KALISPELL! Randy came here in 2001. Retired Captain Byron Guy was the sole driving force that brought the Kalispell Fire Department to the Advanced Life Support Level / Paramedic Level in the early 90’s. Kalispell Fire Department was a 100% paramedic level department a good DECADE before Randy ever haunted the place and caused the 27 good firefighters that left to go work for other departments. Thank you Byron Guy for bringing Paramedics to this valley and saving the lives you did and still do, in a round about way.

By J.B. Nagrom on 08-01-08

Where has investigative journalism gone! These stories are as bad as CNN!

By Lyonel B.. on 08-01-08

Yeah the interlake and beacon just printed basically what the city told them to. Talk to a firefighter and get some truth and the story is far more interesting. Wow. This has been going on for years. This is a good change. Hopefully the city doesn’t repeat the mistake and end up hiring another bozo that just causes more friction and problems.

By Citizen on 08-01-08

Everyone should read the many comments below to get some more backround as to why this even occurred.

Kalispell Firefighters Remove Amenities in Dispute with City

Low Morale, Dischord Plague Kalispell Fire Department

By 5th Avenue on 08-01-08

FINALLY!

By sharpshoot'in tony on 08-03-08

To Neighbor- What difference does it make if all of Kalispell firefighters are paramedics?? To me it makes no sense to require paramedic level training for every single fireman. Sure it’s nice to have, but then you have 4-5 guy’s and gals on a scene trying to be in command of the scene. Why don’t they just assign 2 designated paramedics to work every ems call, instead of everyone trying to join in and getting in everyone’s way. That way, all the medics get their experience, instead of the senior paramedic jumping in during the “good calls” and taking over, leaving the junior guys shaking their heads, wondering WTF?

By Valley Medic on 08-03-08

Tony. You must not be very familiar with progressive fire departments across the country. Having been involved in over a half dozen different organizations and serving as a paramedic in Montana and elsewhere I can explain some of this to you if you are willing to listen. I know many of the firefighters from Kalispell personally and work with them on scenes on occasion. Did you know in an Emergency room, with a cardiac arrest on the table they will have a minimum of 6 to 10 people handling things and working on the patient? Lets paint you a picture. You have a heart attack in Kalispell. You drop on the pavement and the clock starts ticking. You now have 2 minutes to be shocked to give you 60% chance of survival, and less chance every minute that goes by. Lets say paramedics show up in the Kalispell fashion and there are four or five there. One is going to be the team leader, just one. They are trained on this and all paramedics understand this rule. One and only one will call the shots. The others provide care and at times offer input if they see something to be done. Another paramedic will control the ariway perhaps with a partner who is doing the actual breathing for the patient until the patient is intubated which will then allow for only one paramedic to control that airway. Another paramedic will be starting the IV with which medications will be administered. Another paramedic will be operating the cardiac monitor, reading the rhythms of the heart and shocking when necessary. Other personnel are needed to move equipment, hand medics drugs and so on. Senior paramedics never “jump in on calls” with Kalispell. This is truly the best care provided in the state of Montana and gives every patient the best chances of survival anywhere in the state, as well as the region. Care of this magnitude can only be found in places such as Seattle, and major metropolitan areas. Kalispell Fire Provides and incredible service to this community and do so in a very efficient and intelligent way. If if were you laying there lifeless or your spouse, parent or child, trust me, Kalispell Fire Department is the only people you want there. They provide care similar to that found in the ER for the first 15 minutes of any emergency. Read more on the subject and you will see that this is all backed up and true. Thanks for reading this.

By Neighbor on 08-03-08

Velley Medic is right Tony. You need to do more research into emergency services. This is how many departments are moving. Kalispell just so happens to be on the cutting edge of where Fire Departments are going and need to be.

By sharpshoot'in tony on 08-03-08

I am not downplaying the importance of ems in Kalispell, nor am I downplaying the great job Kalispell fire handles calls in a professional manner. What I do question is the need for tax payers to pay for extra paramedics where they are not needed. Some of the things Valley Medic described about a typical heart attack, or another emergency situation can be handled by 2 medics and a handful of Emt’s. As I understand it, most of the time, both stations in Kalispell are paged out for a call. Except in the case of 2 calls happening at the same time, realistically, you have 8-10 paramedics on 1 scene. I feel that if there are 2 dedicated medics per station, this is sufficient for most ems calls. Most ff’s are emt’s as well- are not emt’s able to help in any way? My point is that too many paramedics on the payroll is unnecessary. Are not most fire dept’s in big cities run that way? Props to Kalispell firefighters. They are real life hero’s

By Rambler on 08-07-08

Tony. I appreciate you using this forum in a respectful manner to address a tax-paying concern of yours; these online newspaper comments tend to get nasty with underlying personal issues. Therefore, I feel somewhat obligated to address some of your questions.

Valley Medic’s response is completely accurate. I will just address your last post.

Tax payers do pay more for a paramedic verses an EMT-basic. PM’s have significantly more training, usually have more field experience (one must be an EMT-basic prior to seeking paramedic training), and are harder to recruit (due to nationwide demand for almost any medical profession). However, the difference to the taxpayer is nominal as most career FF/EMT’s in the western states are paid as well, or often better than the FF/PM’s in Kalispell.

Yes, 2 PM’s and a handful of experienced EMT’s can initially handle any medical situation. I have also had the priveledge to work for a handful of agencies in other states. Kalispell’s 100% PM force just does it more efficiently. Much of the scenario given by Valley Medic consisted of Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) measures. These must be executed by advanced EMS personnel or certified hospital personnel (usually in the ER setting). When the providers are all educated to the same standard things simply run smoother. When time truly counts they don’t need to wait for the PM that is retrieving a backboard from the ambulance to run the monitor for cardiac pacing. They don’t need to wait for life-saving drugs to be drawn up, then switch places with the EMT that just started the IV (assuming they have that endorsement) all while manuevering around on sometimes cramped bathroom floors. If a paramedic ambulance is out on a call and a second call generates in their area, the engine company (containing at least 3 PM’s in Kalispell) will deliver advanced care with the same initial equipment found on the ambulance. When the next closest available ambulance arrives to transport, the transition of advanced care is relatively seamless. Everyone on scene can do any of the required work. However, there may be a time in the distant future when Kalispell’s population boom may dictate the need to use a mix of EMT’s and PM’s for a cost-saving advantage. Like Tony said, big cities are run this way. Kalispell is not big… yet. With the cross-staffing of KFD’s fire apparatus and ambulances being a daily occurance (due to low staffing levels), the community is presently best served with an all-PM service.

Both stations are NOT dispatched to every call. If you live within Kalispell city limits, the only time you will have 8-10 FF/PM’s on scene is if your house is on fire, or some other potential Mass Casualty-type Incident. Depending on a triaged dispatched system, a resident in medical need will get between 2 FF/PM’s (minor falls, twisted ankle, etc.) up to 5-6 FF/PM’s for more severe emergencies (difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest, etc.). This equivalates to an ambulance, or an engine company and ambulance.

In summary, I believe the taxpayers of Kalispell are receiving the best possible service level for their dollar at this time. Tony, I hope this answers some questions and offers another perspective to consider. Thanks for reading my ramble.

By sharpshoot'in tony on 08-07-08

Rambler - Thank you for your well thought out response. You make some very good points that I had not considered. I will have to think about this and rethink my position on this subject.