Couple raises red flags over emergency services

Isn't this the same county that can't get deputies to a burglary in progress that ultimately leads to a marine defending his own life?

Sounds like Valencia county folks need a few essentials to live down there:
A) Bottled water
B) A firearm
C) An AED
D) An oxygen tank
E) An IV drip system

Pathetic the way that county is run.

with those kind of health issues the gentleman would better off living close to a medical facility.

As a Volunteer EMT in very rural NM I can't help but respond. A volunteer service is just that - a volunteer department. Meaning that the EMT's have jobs and do not sit at the station and wait for a call. We do not get paid! I am 15 minutes away from our station and many times our calls are 45 minutes away.
Everyone complains about the volunteer departments and the response time, but I bet you that those that complain the most - won't take the time to volunteer. Paid EMS department cost money - lots of money which in turn cost the county tax payers more money. Be thankful that their are volunteer otherwise the gentleman's response time may have been an hour or so coming from ABQ.
Don't complain if you are unwilling to volunteer. Learn about the department before you judge them.

Get Over It is absolutely right!

This response is directed to rural area complainers:

It is so easy to blame responders for not getting there fast enough.

People just don't realize that in the rural communities, most responders ARE volunteers. We DO work. We DO have families and in many cases are NOT on call. There aren't people just sitting there waiting to respond to calls. Additionally, in many small communities, there are only one or two ambulances or emergency rescue squads available for use at any given time. When those units are already responding to calls, dispatchers have to scramble to find other units, often calling outside agencies and doing whatever it takes to help their callers.

While I wouldn't expect the subject of this story, because of his health, to get in line to volunteer, there is NO reason many other people can't get up off their butts and do something to help their communities.

Volunteer for the fire department. Even if you can't handle the training or the physical requirements, there are other things you can do. Be an auxiliary person.

Become a trained EMT, whether it be a first responder, basic, intermediate or paramedic.

Become a reserve deputy in your area.

Instead of complaining about every little thing, remember that you ARE in a rural community.

Do something to HELP your community.

I'm Just Sayin...

When we lived in Valencia Co., we only had to call the EMT'S once, and they were MAGNIFICENT! God Bless them !
I hope they get the support they need!

I've been a paid paramedic for 17 years, most of that in NM. It always amazed me that people with serious chronic health problems continue to live in the sticks.

Communities have decisions to make. If they want emergency services with increased capabilities, they have to support it as a community tax base.

Send It wrote:

Isn't this the same county that can't get deputies to a burglary in progress that ultimately leads to a marine defending his own life?
Sounds like Valencia county folks need a few essentials to live down there:
A) Bottled water
B) A firearm
C) An AED
D) An oxygen tank
E) An IV drip system
Pathetic the way that county is run.

What Dont you understand about VOLUNTEER ! Their not always available; They dont get paid; they have regular jobs like the rest of us they dont just sit around for one of you whinneers to call!

Is that R2D2 next to him in the photo?

You know, if you choose to live in the boonies it will take a while to receive help. Take responsibility for yourself, if you have such medical history and issues, live close to a full medical facilty. It's just common sense.

Once again TV has distorted reality.... People call 911 and expect an instant miracle.... The reality is that if you live in the county you should expect a wait. The Dispatch center only tones or pages out the emergency services: then these services have to respond from where they are stationed and staffed 24/7. The way that the State has cut budgets with emergency medical services, just be happy that someone showed up to help. NM rely's on volunteers for EMS and First Responders, but everytime they get thrown under the bus for their efforts we see less and less of people volunteering. When you live out at a distance away from the population you need to rely upon yourself and not others. Remember they chose to live there.

Why is the county able to pay $750K for a NEW building but not able to pay for a full time staff? That is the issue, not where you choose to live.

This article states the obvious and that is: Valencia County needs an overhaul. We all pay taxes and deserve emergency service when needed. That, boys and girls, is what taxes are all about; goverment providing services to citizens. Sounds like Valencia County needs to be audited.

As for the whiners that clain to be volunteer EMT's, shutup already, either provide the service or get another job. Whining about where someone chooses to live is not acceptable. People can live wherever they want.

People can live wherever they want, but they need to understand that if they are in fragile health, as this guy is, the chances are that EMS will be slower to respond due to the rural aspect. When one volunteers for EMS (which I have done) you do the best you can to be there as quickly as possible, but you've got to leave wherever you are (maybe your job if your boss is really understanding), go to the ambulance shed, wait for one or two others, then respond.

Perhaps there is something else to consider. If this gentleman has had four heart attacks, why isn't his wife trained to deal with it? Doesn't she know CPR, can't they save up to buy an automatic defibrilator, or why haven't they moved into a city? This will be a continuing issue in a rural area, sometimes a little proactivity is all it takes.

josl wrote:

<quoted text>What Dont you understand about VOLUNTEER ! Their not always available; They dont get paid; they have regular jobs like the rest of us they dont just sit around for one of you whinneers to call!

You're missing the point. I'm not criticizing the "VOLUNTEER." I'm criticizing the county management.

The residents SHOULD be paying higher taxes to support an emergency response team.

BTW - are the Valencia County Sheriff's Deputies who take 45 minutes to respond to calls volunteers also? Or are they paid to be corrupt bums?

You won't catch me knicking law enforcement often, but that group in Valencia county is near worthless.

Get over it wrote:

As a Volunteer EMT in very rural NM I can't help but respond. A volunteer service is just that - a volunteer department. Meaning that the EMT's have jobs and do not sit at the station and wait for a call. We do not get paid! I am 15 minutes away from our station and many times our calls are 45 minutes away.
Everyone complains about the volunteer departments and the response time, but I bet you that those that complain the most - won't take the time to volunteer. Paid EMS department cost money - lots of money which in turn cost the county tax payers more money. Be thankful that their are volunteer otherwise the gentleman's response time may have been an hour or so coming from ABQ.
Don't complain if you are unwilling to volunteer. Learn about the department before you judge them.

It may be that way in Colorado but not here. Volunteers get paid if or when they go on a call. But, that is beside the point.

I live farther out in the sticks than anyone in Valencia Co. and I can tell you that our volunteer fire personel generally take less than 15 minutes to respond to any emergency. it may take them another 20 minutes to get to my house but that is my problem. I choose to live out here and if it takes them 30 or 40 minutes to get here in an emergency I ain't going to complain one bit.

The people we have in our county do a great job under some very difficult circumstances and I help or praise them every chance I get.

Whisky River Crabb wrote:

<quoted text>
It may be that way in Colorado but not here. Volunteers get paid if or when they go on a call. But, that is beside the point.

I certainly can't speak for YOUR county - because I don't know how things are.

Out here, the ONLY time a volunteer gets paid is if they leave the district and provide mutual aid to another district.

Not that it matters. Just sharing.

Get over it wrote:

As a Volunteer EMT in very rural NM I can't help but respond. A volunteer service is just that - a volunteer department. Meaning that the EMT's have jobs and do not sit at the station and wait for a call. We do not get paid! I am 15 minutes away from our station and many times our calls are 45 minutes away.
Everyone complains about the volunteer departments and the response time, but I bet you that those that complain the most - won't take the time to volunteer. Paid EMS department cost money - lots of money which in turn cost the county tax payers more money. Be thankful that their are volunteer otherwise the gentleman's response time may have been an hour or so coming from ABQ.
Don't complain if you are unwilling to volunteer. Learn about the department before you judge them.

You people are killin' me. It is time to do away with this volunteer nonsense and get paid professionals to do the job properly.
Yes it will cost money but what is a life worth?
Professionals will have better response time and better training.
Thank God for the vollies, but their time has past.

Shizzle wrote:

I've been a paid paramedic for 17 years, most of that in NM. It always amazed me that people with serious chronic health problems continue to live in the sticks.
Communities have decisions to make. If they want emergency services with increased capabilities, they have to support it as a community tax base.

This is true. I have seen it with friends in Valencia County. They moved there for lower cost of living (they thought). Then they complained that they don't get the kind of services that the City of Albuquerque supplies. Gee, wonder why?

People with health problems of this nature should live near reliable emergency care, and IMO should move to live near it if necessary. It's not the volunteers' fault nor the County's fault---the voters haven't approved of the needed tax base to improve this situation.

Does KOB feel obligated to print every whinners story. This is such a common story...people decide to live in the middle of no where and bitch if emergency services arn't at their beckon call. I wonder how much this guy and his wife have donated in the way of time and money to help their local EMS program. I'm willing to bet NONE.

1. Valencia County is RURAL. It's not Albuquerque and those of us who grew up here or moved here because it is RURAL, want to keep it RURAL.
2. Those of us who grew up here or moved here, know that VC doesn't have all of the emergency services that they do in ABQ. We make choices to either live in VC or to move somewhere else, like ABQ.
3. I'm sorry that Mr. LeBrecht has a heart condition, but if he wants ABQ style emergency services, then he should move to ABQ.
4. A lot ov VC citizens are getting sick and tired of people moving out here and then trying to make it into ABQ. If you want to live like you are in ABQ, then stay in or move to ABQ. Leave VC the way it's always been (RURAL)...and that includes the hospital that doubled our property taxes. We would rather have our money back.

Send It wrote:

Isn't this the same county that can't get deputies to a burglary in progress that ultimately leads to a marine defending his own life?
Sounds like Valencia county folks need a few essentials to live down there:
A) Bottled water
B) A firearm
C) An AED
D) An oxygen tank
E) An IV drip system
Pathetic the way that county is run.

Since you don't live down here, shut your trap. I'm sure that where you live isn't exactly a utopia!