WCCAD ponders purchasing HI ambulance

CARROLL COUNTY -- Can the Western Carroll County Ambulance District (WCCAD) purchase an emergency response vehicle for the use of Holiday Island's emergency medical responders (EMRs), serving only one part of the ambulance district?

That is the question WCCAD commissioners struggled with at their Nov. 17 meeting.

Current vehicle failing

Holiday Island Fire Chief Jack Deaton said the district's current Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance is old and needs to be replaced.

"The unit we have now, I never know if it's going to start," he said.

To replace the unit with a comparable vehicle would cost around $95,000 new.

He had gone to the Holiday Island Board of Commissioners with the request that it be placed in their 2010 equipment reserve budget, but he said he would also approach WCCAD about sharing or assuming the cost.

HI has more calls

Holiday Island in the past few years has averaged about 60 percent of the emergency medical calls in the Western District, largely due to its senior population. The suburban improvement district funds and equips the fire department which responds to fire calls within the district's boundaries, and a separate rural fire department takes care of the areas outside of Holiday Island, although both departments share personnel.

For medical calls, Holiday Island is part of the Western District, funded by a two-mill property tax for ambulance service contracted with Eureka Springs.

Deaton said the unit would be a "backup" to the service provided by Eureka Springs. It could be turned into an Advanced Life Support vehicle with a paramedic and EMT on board to transport patients in a multiple casualty situation. It could also be used to bundle and keep patients warm in inclement weather while waiting for the ambulance to arrive from Eureka Springs, which often takes about 15 minutes and sometimes more.

Legal questions

WCCAD Chairman Mary Ann Schaefer said she asked attorney Matt Bishop to research the legality of the ambulance district purchasing a vehicle for use at Holiday Island. She also asked about WCCAD purchasing three $35,000 Lifepak 15 units for use by Eureka Springs ambulances (see related story on page 12).

"His conclusion was that it would be difficult for us to purchase an ambulance for one part of the district without purchasing for other parts," Schaefer said. "He didn't say we can't do it, but if we do it in Holiday Island, Grassy Knob could ask for one."

The commission was split on the issue, with Grassy Knob representative Chuck Olson and Holiday Island representative John Dolce in favor of the purchase.

"The way I look at it is because of the way Holiday Island works, it would be better for them," Olson said. "Inspiration Point, Grassy Knob and the rural areas don't need an ambulance."

"Based on the calls out there (in Holiday Island), I think it's justified," said Dolce.

"It has more to do with us collecting taxes for all the district, and that money should be used more generally," Schaefer said. "I've been doing research on what the commission has done in the past, and I'm not ready to agree until I get some more answers."

Inspiration Point Fire Chief Jason Sprenger asked whether the unit would be available to Eureka Springs or used to assist Eureka if there were not enough ambulances available.

Assistant Fire Chief Bob Pettus said the unit would need to be moved to Eureka and equipped with a paramedic and equipment "before the emergency occurs."

"If the ambulance is sitting in Holiday Island and we have a crash on 23 South, that's not helpful to have it sitting in Holiday Island. Also, we're looking at something that would occur probably once every two to four years."

Several years ago WCCAD was involved in a lawsuit over ambulances it owned being used by the Eureka Springs Fire Department to treat patients within the city limits, as Eureka Springs is not part of the Western Ambulance District.

To clear up the conflict, WCCAD got out of the ambulance ownership business. Eureka Springs purchased ambulances, and uses them both in city limits and in the district under its contract agreement with WCCAD.

Holiday Island also purchased one of the WCCAD ambulances at that time (the one that is now failing), and the suburban improvement district owns, insures and maintains it.

Commissioners decided to table the vote until they can obtain more information about the legalities involved.