A legislative act to deploy members of the Fire Service and the Armed Forces to assist the ambulance Service (EKAV) has been published in the official gazette on Tuesday. The decision taken by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has triggered negative reactions not only by EKAV personnel but also by firefighters amid the fire season in Greece.
The deployment of some 200 permanent officers of the army and the fire brigades at the ambulance service has been deemed as necessary after four people, among them two tourists, lost their lives last month as ambulances could not arrive in time.
At the same time, the increase of visitors to the islands and touristic places creates conditions of “high risk” that could end in tragedies both for permanent residents and foreign visitors.
After a few days of training, the deployed soldiers/officers and firefighters will be strengthen the ambulance crews in touristic areas such as the islands of the North Aegean –Lemnos, Chios, Samos-, the islands of the Cyclades –Amorgos, Sifnos-, Areopolis, Mani, in south Peloponnese and Ithaca in the Ionian Sea, media reported.
Legislative Act
According to the Legislative Act the deployments and the ambulance staffing with so-called :mixed crews”are scheduled to affect some 50 areas on islands and mountainous regions of the country.
“EKAV structures that do not have sufficient personnel for ambulance crews or drivers can until December 31, 2023, recruit personnel from the Fire Brigades or military personnel of the Armed Forces, excluding conscripts. They may be allocated to perform driver service in ambulances of the above structures,” the act stated among others.
The disposition of the personnel is made after the request of the structures and the decision of the competent body of the institution of origin and as long as the service needs do not prohibit it.
“As long as the personnel of the fire brigade or the army is not sufficient “it is possible to deploy employees from branches of the Local Government Organizations and municipalities.
“Salaries of deployed personnel continue to be paid by the service of origin”, it is clarified.
The personnel to be assigned or seconded must have a category B driver’s license and have been trained in basic First Aid knowledge.
Local authorities have to secure accommodation for the deployed personnel.
Angry reactions: “Patients’ lives at risk”
Even if PM Mitsotakis spoke of a “temporary measure” and promised rescuers’ recruitment, health workers reacted angrily drowing attention at the “risk for patients’ lives.”
“Dangerous solution for patients”
The Panhellenic Federation of Employees in Public Hospitals (POEDIN) pointed out that this measure will have no effect in meeting the needs of the National Health Service, as this was proven by a similar law of SYRIZA in 2016.
“It’s the same rough recipe, a dangerous solution for patients” POEDIN said.
“The strengthening and radical reformation of the EKAB cannot under any circumstances be done by issuing a PNP for the staffing of ambulances with personnel from the fire department and the armed forces”, the union emphasized.
In an open letter to Mitsotakis, POEDIN president Michalis Giannakos stressed that the lives of patients are at risk if the plan is carried out.
“The few hours of training that is being prepared for the personnel that will staff the ambulances is inappropriate and above all insufficient, entailing risks for the health of the patients that will be transported, if this plan is carried out”, he stated adding “only with permanent recruitment from the pool of thousands of graduates of the EKAV Academy and the permanence of the adjuncts we will talk about support.”
“The state itself has established professional rights for the specialty rescuer-ambulance crew through the acquisition of a professional license, which is a prerequisite for employment in the EMS. All this was done to provide specialized assistance to the patients at the scene and the subsequent support of their health until their delivery to a health formation.”
PS confused Greeks now wonder who the fck should call in case of emergency in Health, Fire and War … (OK, it’s just the kitty kidding)
