The city of Sacramento quietly took ambulances staffed with civilian paramedics out for a six-month test drive – and it went smoothly. That should lower the volume on public safety concerns raised by the local firefighters’ union, which has steadfastly resisted the idea of having anything other than two firefighters in every city ambulance. And it should embolden elected officials to show some spine and push hard for wider use of civilian paramedics, saving taxpayers boatloads of money.