Elmhurst Fire Union And City Disagree Over Service Issue

ELMHURST, IL — The Elmhurst firefighters union told city officials Monday that it supports adding advanced life support to the city's fire rigs, saying doing so would come at a minimal cost.

However, city officials contended such a move would cost millions of dollars. They said the service is well handled by the local private ambulance service. And the mayor called arguments for adding the service "disingenuous" and "ludicrous."

The discussion came during a meeting of the City Council's Public Affairs and Safety Committee. Left unsaid was that the topic has become a point of dispute in the mayoral election.

During public input, Steve Talaski, president of the Local 3541 firefighters union, noted nearby towns provide advanced life support on their fire rigs. He said his union's members are willing to provide the service.

"This will come at no additional labor costs, pension liabilities or stipends," Talaski said. "You are already paying for the personnel to occupy the fire rigs, and they are responding to 100 percent of the calls. All that's needed now is your approval and the proper equipment."

However, city attorney Mike Durkin warned that Elmhurst must bargain with the union if it equips fire trucks with advanced life support. But he said the state labor board has made the scope of such bargaining unclear.

"Once they get their foot in the door, that door cannot be closed," Durkin said. "More importantly, can it be forced wider open? We don't know that."

He said he took issue with the argument that adding advanced life support to fire rigs would mean no increased costs or pension contributions.

The fire department presented figures showing that the city must add 21 positions if it took over the ambulance function entirely from Superior Ambulance, Elmhurst's longtime emergency medical service company, also known as Metro Paramedic.

The department stated the salary and pension costs of a city-employed paramedic amounted to $2.3 million over three decades, compared with $1.1 million for a contract paramedic.

In his statement, the union's Talaski did not propose the fire department assume Superior's entire role.

Ward 3 Alderwoman Dannee Polomsky, chairwoman of the public safety committee, contended the city was on the right course, noting Superior and the fire department have won awards. She called the proposal to add advanced life support to fire rigs a "big risk."

"I've seen comments that it's only a few bucks. These aren't a few bucks. These are millions of dollars," Polomsky said. "These are long-term obligations that grow more steeply than any other city costs."

Officials noted two-thirds of the city's property tax dollars already go to police and fire pensions.

City Manager Jim Grabowski said he could not recommend adding advanced life support to fire trucks, given the uncertainty in the labor board's positions on bargaining requirements.

Mayor Steve Morley called into the meeting, saying he was "in the mountains in the middle of nowhere." He said residents received "exceptional service" from both Superior and the fire department. He labeled as "ludicrous" suggestions that elected officials had resigned themselves to less than the best service to residents.

"I also think it's disingenuous for people to say that ... if we shift the responsibility to our firefighters, it would not have a cost implication. Now, that's simply wrong. Not true," he said. "I think for the city of Elmhurst to add millions of dollars to the budget on a yearly basis is not something that is prudent at this time."

Polomsky and others agreed she would report on the issue at the next City Council meeting, which is Monday. At the meeting will likely be the three aldermen running for mayor in the April 6 election — Ward 3's Michael Bram, Ward 5's Scott Levin and Ward 7's Mark Mulliner.

One of the key planks in Bram's platform is adding advanced life support to fire rigs. He contends it would cost about $80,000 in equipment, with no long-term salary or pension costs. With advanced life support on fire trucks, he said, residents would not have to wait for such service if the fire department arrives before Superior ambulances.

Mulliner, however, says the service would add $2 million to the yearly budget. None of the three candidates sit on the public safety committee.