Across the United States the absolute trend of fire incidents is headed down.  With improved building codes, fire resistant construction materials, fire sensors, smoke alarms, fire suppression systems, smoking awareness, etc. the fire department is getting called less and less.  

On the other hand, medical response needs are strong and growing stronger.  

Fire Departments are dwindling.  

Most Fire Departments are union. 

In most communities there are 9 medical emergency calls to 1 fire call.n   For an education in this subject, read the Santa Clara, California Grand Jury report here. 

While the local spin from Mayor Jackson and the Dirty Dealer , and Councilman Polensek is that the Merger/Union of the Firepersons and the EMS personal ( a contrast in white and black) will improve service – cost neutral, my prediction is that because service has so little data, and increased salary take home is the goal of every worker – that this union will further exacerbate the poor, data-less, Cleveland service and add to tax earners take home and that more of these jobs will become white. 

Kinda ironic:   The Cleveland Clinic (a non-profit) touts with banners on street light poles on Chester its cardio skills as Number 1,   while the City of Cleveland's response to requests for data on emergency response times is, according to USA Today, "refuse to answer".  

Boston, Mass has the top response time.

Cleveland,

1.   show me the historic response data....so the merging of EMS with Fire can be assessed....

Or

2.    don't show me the data to make certain there is no way to make a future comparison assessment.  

It will be #2, we all know that, don't we?

That's how our "democratic" government "works" for us.