Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to the October 21st letter titled “HVA Asks Citizens to Consider the ‘Bigger Picture’ Before Voting”, authored by HVA COO Paul Hood.
Before addressing Mr. Hood’s comments, I want to clarify what this upcoming millage is truly about: meeting critical staffing needs. That’s it.
Currently, the Chelsea Area Fire Authority (CAFA) operates with just 12 full-time firefighter/EMTs, meaning only four are on duty per day. This number can drop to three if someone is on leave, and occasionally even two in extreme cases.
Approximately 70% of our calls are for emergency medical services (EMS). We staff our Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance with two firefighter/EMTs daily. That leaves just one officer on a fire apparatus at Station 1 and, if open, one at Station 2. That’s right, every day, our officers, myself included, respond to emergency calls alone. This is unsafe for our personnel and, more importantly, for the public.
Since Mr. Hood and the president of Chelsea Hospital have chosen to focus on Advanced Life Support (ALS) and the risk of potential system “fragmentation,” let’s have an honest, data-driven conversation about how we got here.
I have growing concerns that Mr. Hood may not fully understand how EMS currently functions in the community of Chelsea. For over two years, CAFA has actively provided patient transport services. During that time, we have consistently honored patient preferences, transporting individuals to facilities like the University of Michigan or St. Joseph Mercy when requested or medically necessary.
The statistic Mr. Hood cited that 27% of the time patients are being transported to these facilities, reflects the current reality, not a hypothetical future. This is not something new; it’s something we’ve already been navigating for some time.
Since CAFA became the first BLS-transporting fire department in Washtenaw County, we’ve seen a notable shift in regional emergency strategy. The City of Ann Arbor now provides BLS transport. The Dexter Area and Scio Township Fire Departments have purchased ambulances.
Two other departments are actively considering similar steps. This is not a coincidence, it’s a response to growing, system wide- need.
From January 2025 to the present, CAFA has transported 240 patients. Of those, 48 occurred when HVA’s response time exceeded 15 minutes. In 23 cases, no ALS ambulances were available from HVA. These numbers are not “anecdotal concerns,” as Mr. Hood implies. They come directly from our reporting software and were provided by Chief Arbini. They represent systemic issues and real gaps in service, gaps that CAFA is stepping in to fill.
As for concerns that CAFA providing ALS would “destabilize” or “fragment” EMS in Chelsea or Washtenaw County, that argument sounds familiar. It’s the same fear mongering narrative they used for Lenawee County Ambulance (another Emergent Health Partners branch) when the City of Adrian moved to ALS transport in 2018.
Their arguments? That fire response would suffer. That the financial risks were too great. That it was better to leave things as they were. (Source: Lenawee County article)
Yet today, Adrian’s ALS transport system is not only functional, it’s profitable. (Source: Adrian ALS system success)
So, what’s really going on?
It seems increasingly clear that Emergent Health Partners (EHP) is more concerned with protecting its bottom line and the salaries of its executives than with ensuring community safety, or the well-being of CAFA’s employees.
Consider this: in 2024, EHP’s Not-for-profit CEO earned $457,822, a 23.96% increase from the previous year, along with $56,492 in other compensation. Meanwhile, paramedics, those doing the lifesaving work, often start at around $18/hour.
In total, the top eight executives received $1.89 million in salary and compensation in 2023. One has to wonder: Did they all receive similar raises in 2024?
(Source: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/452579119)
(Source: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/382200909)
Meanwhile, under EHP’s umbrella, Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA) has struggled for years with staffing shortages, reporting a deficit of 185 paramedics and EMTs in 2021 alone. Low wages and high turnover have created a revolving door, where new hires are trained only to leave soon after for better-paying opportunities elsewhere. This is just one of many contributing factors that have led to the current failing EMS system not only in the community of Chelsea, but Washtenaw County.
I understand this challenge firsthand. At CAFA, we’ve also struggled with staffing shortages driven by low wages, often watching our well-trained personnel leave for departments that offer better pay. The difference? Our Fire Chief doesn’t make a quarter of what EHP’s CEO earns. In fact, he doesn’t even come close to the salary of Paramedic Li Hru, EHP’s 8th highest-paid employee. This is about more than numbers, it’s about priorities. When executive pay skyrockets while frontline responders are left behind, public safety suffers. The people risking their lives every day deserve better.
So, is this truly about a fear of system fragmentation, or a fear of financial competition?
I’ll leave readers with this:
If you agree that CAFA’s current staffing is unsustainable and unsafe, and you recognize that we’re already providing BLS transport, then it only makes sense to consider the next logical step.
Why wouldn’t taxpayers support hiring six firefighter/paramedics? Not only would this address our urgent staffing needs, but it would also enable CAFA to provide Advanced Life Support (ALS) services, doing away with the flawed “2-tier” redundancy which is currently sending 2 separate ambulances on the same emergency.
Unlike HVA, CAFA does not bill residents directly for EMS. We bill insurance and write off the remainder. By expanding our capabilities and keeping EMS services local, we improve response times, retain revenue, and deliver care through professionals who know this community best.
Ours.
This isn’t about politics. It’s about safety, sustainability, and doing what’s right for the people we serve.
Derek Klink
Chelsea Firefighters Local 1889 President
Sylvan Township resident
