TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Vote Delayed On Bucs EMTs

ADVERTISEMENT

By MIKE SALINERO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 26, 2008

TAMPA - After hearing nearly two hours of arguments, the Tampa Sports Authority delayed a decision Monday on whether Hillsborough County paramedics will be allowed to work Tampa Bay Buccaneers games along with city emergency personnel.

Authority member Johnny Dean Page made the motion to delay action until the board's attorney can research the matter. The opinion should be ready by the board's March 17 meeting.

The decision to delay was based partly on a letter from Tampa City Attorney David Smith, who said the Sports Authority has no jurisdiction over medical and emergency services at Raymond James Stadium.

Smith's opinion was based on his staff's reading of a Hillsborough County ordinance that defined a "governmental service provider with jurisdiction over the particular location where the medical stand-by service is to be performed."

But that section of the ordinance deals with governmental medical personnel having priority over nongovernmental providers in that jurisdiction, pointed out George Sucarichi, president of the county firefighters union.

"I don't think when this ordinance was passed, it was intended to lock out a group of paramedics," Sucarichi said. "It speaks to nongovernmental entities."

Robert McCabe, attorney for the Tampa firefighters union, said the authority should hold off until the International Association of Firefighters rules on the union's complaint against the county for trying to take work away from a another union affiliate that has an established working agreement.

About 35 city paramedics work the Bucs games and get about $25 an hour for seven hours of work. .

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT