Extended agreement between Medic & CFD to end in July

CHARLOTTE, NC — The contract between Medic and the Charlotte Fire Department is coming to an end this month.
Some believe the current system isn’t working and a change is needed.

Firefighter Adam Ullman is also a registered paramedic but, after a terrible motorcycle crash two weeks ago, he was the one in need of aid.

“I started going to shock and then we waited and waited and waited. The response time for medic was over 20 minutes,” explained Ullman.

Ullman told Mecklenburg County Commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting that the fire department was on scene minutes after the crash as they waited with him for Medic to arrive, treat him and get him to the hospital.

“This is not a city versus county issue. This is a public safety issue, plain and simple,” said Mike Feneis.

Feneis is the president of the Charlotte Firefighters Association. He says the current system isn’t working for his fellow firefighters who often get to the scene of a medical related call before medic.

“Firefighters across Mecklenburg County are spending too long on scene waiting for Medic units to arrive or transport patients.
Every minute our crews are tied up, waiting, they are not available to respond to the next fire,” said Feneis.

This comes as the contract between Medic and Charlotte Fire is set to end after the two agreed to a six month extension back in January. The two remain in discussions.

“I have never met a person that from medic in any capacity that didn’t want to get to an emergency as fast as they could. And we are the board for medic,” explained County Commissioner Elaine Powell.

Medic supporters believe the response time concerns are due to a lack of staffing. They also say firefighters tend to get to a scene faster because there are more stations around the county.

A third party ems study is happening now. The results won’t be released until early next year.

In a statement Medic writes:

“Medic remains committed to working in partnership with the Charlotte Fire Department and Mecklenburg County to identify solutions that support patient care and ensure the long-term sustainability of our EMS system. We are currently engaged in collaborative discussions to determine the best path forward; these conversations are being guided by data, clinical expertise, and a shared commitment to public safety.

Medic’s track record of driving excellent patient outcomes and its national reputation as a leader in prehospital care are the result of decades of innovation, continuous improvement, and a deep commitment to our mission: to save a life, hold a hand, and be prepared to respond in our community when and where our patients need us. Our cardiac arrest survival rates significantly exceed national benchmarks, and we are widely recognized for leveraging data and clinical evidence to inform system design and care delivery. These strengths are a critical foundation for shaping the future of emergency care in Mecklenburg County.

At the request of town and city leaders, Medic’s Board and the County Manager’s Office have already agreed to a third-party review of our EMS System response model. We support this effort and believe it can offer an unbiased, fact-based framework to strengthen our system for the future.  In the meantime, Medic has already taken proactive steps to address concerns, including efforts to reduce the volume of EMS calls requiring fire department response and securing funds to increase ambulance staffing and capacity in the coming months. These improvements are well underway, but they require time to implement effectively.

In the interim, we will continue working on solutions to best address the needs of Medic, our First Responder partners and – most importantly, for the patients we are here to serve.  I have every confidence that agreements will be reached with our First Responder partners within the timeframe specified and that our community will continue receiving outstanding care.”