New ambulance plan to ease overcrowding

HOUSTON (KTRK) Fire Chief Phil Boriskie briefed the city council on the fire department's telemetry project. The fire department says that any calls for service requiring patient transports will be routed to the closest, most appropriate hospital to handle that patient's complaint. Patients with chronic ailments and an established relationship with a doctor or hospital for that ailment will be taken to that hospital.

"It will result in increased 'in service' time, decreased response time and overall some of the stress in our system will be made better," said Chief Boriskie.

The fire chief says the fire department has added about 300 paramedics over the past two years.

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