The Sunnyvale Sun

Letters & Opinions

Speak Out

Union's position
compromises
resident safety

The recent proposal to allow private firm paramedics to serve on Sunnyvale fire trucks is a cost-effective way to improve emergency response service in our city. A multitude of studies have repeatedly shown that the faster one can get highly trained medical service providers to the scene of an emergency, the higher the survival rate.

Unfortunately, the Sunnyvale Public Safety Officers Association seems more intent in preserving the status quo and their standing of being the first on the emergency scene rather than ensuring resident safety. Similar to 2002 when the city last studied emergency medical services, the police union president adamantly opposed every possible improvement because it would weaken their control over public safety services in the city.

Council members, such as Melinda Hamilton, who have publicly expressed opposition to the proposal in a recent candidate forum, need to remember that their allegiance belongs to the residents that elected them, not to the employee unions. Having received tens of thousands of dollars in direct campaign contributions and political support from the police union, Councilmember Hamilton's position only demonstrates that she doesn't put the safety of our residents first.

The city council should quickly and unanimously find a way to implement this policy, even without union approval. It would be a shame if one year from now a life is lost simply because a trained paramedic was not at the scene of an emergency. It would be even more shameful if the loss was due to a city council that buckled to union pressure and had not done everything reasonably possible to provide the best service to its residents.

Tim Risch

former vice mayor of Sunnyvale