Ron Conaway told Allen County commissioners this morning that Iola Emergency Medical Service could provide ambulance coverage for all of Allen County at a substantial savings.
Conaway, Iola’s EMS director, fleshed out the proposal for Iola councilmen Monday night and got their blessing for this morning’s presentation.
A county commissioner, who was not named, asked Conaway to put together a plan, and subsequent presentation, on how Iola and Allen County services could be merged.
The result was similar to what was in place before the county and city split services. Previously Iola firefighters ran ambulances in Iola and the fire chief was countywide director. Volunteers operated ambulances in Moran and Humboldt.
The county took over administration of the service and Iola established its own service to answer calls inside the city about two years ago. The county now operates ambulances in Iola for coverage of the northwest quadrant of the county and to back up those in Moran and Humboldt. Other county employees are stationed with ambulances in Moran and Humboldt.
Conaway said 16 firefighters were responsible for emergency medical service from the fire station and the county employed 34 ambulance attendants, 18 full time and 16 part time, plus a director.
Iola’s proposal would increase the firefighter-emergency medical responder numbers to 28, which would have nine on duty at any given time. Five would operate from the Iola station and two each would be with ambulances in Humboldt and Moran.
County personnel would be given opportunities to move laterally — to maintain their salaries and benefits — to the Iola service. And, a sticking point for the county when it took control of the original service, a paramedic, certified to do advanced medical procedures, would be available for each ambulance run from any of the three stations, Conaway promised.
As it was years ago, the proposal would have the county provide ambulances and supplies; the city would be responsible for personnel and administration.
An aside that Conaway suggested would make the service better in Moran and Humboldt is that all personnel would be trained in firefighting and associated skills, as well as ambulance protocols. Firefighter I and II certification could occur for county transfers over a two-year span, he proposed.
Many things, having to do with licensing, ownership and management, would have to be worked out, Conaway allowed, but said he foresaw no major problems.
“It would be to Moran and Humboldt’s advantage because they would have ambulance personnel who were trained in firefighting, rescue, hazardous materials handling and fire prevention and investigation,” who could exercise those skills in addition to manning ambulances, Conaway said. “We’d also be willing to train volunteer firefighters.”
MONEY could be the tipping point.
According to Conaway, this year’s budgets forecast expenditures for Iola’s ambulance service at $1.2 million and the county’s at $1.3 million, a total of more than $2.5 million. Together, he predicted cost at $1.8 million.
Savings would be in personnel and operating two fewer ambulances; today Iola and Allen County have two units each in Iola — four blocks apart. With unified service two would be in Iola.
Conaway noted that Iola firefighters had a 40-year history of emergency medical service and 115 years in firefighting, as well as an experienced current force trained in many public safety areas.
Paul Zirjacks, one of many citizens who have encouraged the two governing bodies to reach accord on one service, noted what Conaway proposed was “much like we had before,” except instead of volunteers running ambulances in Humboldt and Moran the crews would be full-time, fully trained technicians, in both medical services and firefighting.
“I think some of the county crew would want to come over to Iola’s,” Conaway observed, and that they would be welcomed with open arms.
The only hitch is that whoever transfers would have to be willing to train as a firefighter.
“There are lots of details to work out,” Conaway said, but allowed that he thought the mechanics were in place with the proposal to mesh the two services.
