I just came across a piece from the Chicago Sun-Times that highlights the ongoing scrutiny of the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) by the Better Government Association (BGA). Their recent investigation delves into the concerning issue of prolonged ambulance response times within the city. Emergency services play a crucial role in saving lives, but when they falter, the consequences can be dire. The BGA has consistently kept tabs on the CFD due to its critical responsibilities. In their latest probe, they found that long response times seem to jeopardize public safety. For instance, in January, a tragic incident occurred where a postal truck struck a pedestrian near City Hall. It took 16 minutes for an ambulance to reach the scene—far exceeding the mandated six-minute limit—even though the area is dotted with fire stations. Fortunately, the victim survived severe injuries like broken bones, but the next individual facing such delays might not be as fortunate. Last fall, the city's inspector general challenged the CFD's claim of meeting response-time benchmarks. Our investigation further exposed that the department lacks proper mechanisms to monitor ambulance response times effectively. This makes it nearly impossible to gauge whether conditions are improving or worsening. Paramedics report a shortage of fully equipped Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances, and increasing travel times are compounding the issue. Ironically, fire officials cannot confirm or refute these claims because they fail to maintain consistent records of response times. Instead, they resort to vague statements, asserting they have sufficient resources while hinting at potential expansions. It's unsettling that a department responsible for life-or-death situations operates without reliable tracking systems. This isn't the first time concerns have surfaced around the CFD. Previous investigations uncovered troubling incidents, such as a questionable pension arrangement for a former fire commissioner, an ambulance breakdown while transporting a gunshot victim, paramedics taking a stabbing victim to the wrong hospital, and fire vehicles carrying expired medications. In light of these revelations, we urge Mayor Emanuel's administration to engage with fire officials to address these pressing issues. Two fundamental questions must be answered: Do we have enough ALS ambulances, and are they responding promptly? The evidence suggests the answer to both is no. One potential solution involves converting some Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances, which handle less severe cases, into ALS units capable of managing trauma cases. This shift could introduce 15 additional trauma-ready ambulances to the current fleet of approximately 60. Paramedics support this idea, and the department seems open to exploring it, which is promising. Another consideration is reallocating resources as the city's demographics evolve. With fewer fire-related fatalities in recent years—a record low of 2013—it may make sense to reduce the number of fire trucks and engines while increasing the number of ambulances. Lastly, it's 2014, and tracking ambulance dispatch and response times should no longer be a challenge. Other major cities successfully implement these systems, so why shouldn't Chicago, a city often referred to as world-class? Thanks, Dan! Hydrophilic Fibre Finishing Agent Hydrophilic Fibre Finishing Agent is a compound of polyester, polyether and high molecular hydrophilic polymerand be mixed with water, nonionic and cationic. It contains ester structure similar to polyester, in the course of dinishing process, the structure makes one end of antistatic molecule embed into polyester molecules and form eutectic crystal or eutectic mixture with polyester, which can endow polyester with excellent washing resistance. Hydrophilic Fibre Finishing Agent,Hydrophilic Fiber Finish,Finishing Agent Surfactants,Hydrophilic Finishing Agent Liaoning Kelong Fine Chemical Co.Ltd. , https://www.kelongchemy.com