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Tampa Fires Another Salvo In Ray-Jay EMS Battle

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By ELLEN GEDALIUS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

TAMPA - The battle continues.

The seemingly small issue over who provides emergency medical services at Raymond James Stadium has turned into a seemingly endless war between city and county officials, complete with dueling ordinances and threats of going to court.

On Tuesday, the saga took another twist when the Tampa City Council held a special meeting for the sole purpose of passing an ordinance council members say gives the city's paramedics the exclusive right to provide services at Raymond James Stadium.

The ordinance passed unanimously, but not without Councilman John Dingfelder saying the issue is "perhaps not that important to the average citizen."

Council members said little else during the brief meeting, saying they wanted to keep their comments to a minimum because they predict a lawsuit over the issue.

The feud began months ago when Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman asked the Tampa Sports Authority to let county firefighters share in some of the moonlighting work traditionally done by city firefighters at Raymond James Stadium. The work pays about $25 to $35 an hour.

City officials said the work should belong to city EMS workers because the stadium is in Tampa.

The sports authority board voted last month, along city-county lines, to allow the county's EMS workers to work some of the games. The sports authority, created by a special act of the Legislature, includes city and county representatives on its board.

On Tuesday, Bob Buckhorn, a city representative on the board, attended the council meeting. Afterward, he described the whole debate as "nothing more than a blatant power play by the county. It was unnecessary, unneeded, it was all about turf."

In a phone interview, county fire union president George Sucarichi shot back, describing the city's ordinance as "impotent" and "meaningless."

"They could have passed 10 ordinances today and it wouldn't matter," he said. "You think for a New York minute they could pass an ordinance and tell another branch of government created by an act of the Legislature who they can and cannot hire for a part-time job?"

The Hillsborough County Commission is scheduled June 4 to pass its own ordinance on the matter.

The ordinance states county emergency medical officials can provide on-duty or off-duty work anywhere in Hillsborough County, including in the city of Tampa.

If commissioners pass the measure, the city and county will have ordinances with exactly opposite positions on whose firefighters can work at the stadium.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

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