Firefighting, Emergency Services Study for Lee County Reveals Alternative Delivery Options
Lee County, Georgia, officials now have detailed information on alternatives for organizing firefighting and emergency medical services that best meet community needs following a study conducted by Vinson Institute faculty member John O'Looney. The two services are currently set in separate departments but share the same facilities.
O'Looney studied potential advantages and disadvantages of consolidating the departments, taking into account service costs and efficiencies, command operations, management and staff capabilities, transition costs, morale, and likely performance outcomes. He also reviewed regional and national trends in how firefighting and emergency medical services are provided.
"In general, the joint service model appears to provide numerous advantages," he states. "The implementation of that model, however, could in turn involve certain short-term costs and leadership challenges." O'Looney presented his findings to the Lee County Commission at their meeting on Tuesday, November 14.
