Allen County and Iola will be asked to permit state studies of their ambulance services.
Members of the Ambulance Review Committee reached that conclusion Thursday afternoon.
Today, Iola firefighters provide ambulance service in the city; Allen County serves the remainder of the county with stations in Iola, Moran and Humboldt.
If the city and county agree to a study, agents of the Kansas Board of Emergency Services will conduct the studies, expected to take at least three months. The study is similar to one done of countywide service 6 ½ years ago.
Joe House, deputy director of the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services, told committee members a study would examine the ambulance services in 15 specific areas and measure their effectiveness. The result would be a recommendation for each.
Following the previous study, the Board of EMS recommended a countywide service operated by the county, not much of a departure from what had been done. For 30 years Allen County provided ambulances that were operated by firefighters trained as emergency medical technicians in Iola and volunteers, similarly trained, in Moran and Humboldt. The director for years was the Iola fire chief.
When county commissioners named an independent director and assumed full control, Iola opted to start its own service.
While the new studies may shed light on what would be the better approach for ambulance service, House said the end result would be up to local governing bodies. He also noted that as long as Iola or Allen County maintained a tax levy for ambulance service, each was responsibility-bound to do so. Without a levy, either had no responsibility, he said.
House said ratings for ambulance personnel depended on training and certification, ranging from first responders to paramedics. A paramedic “can do anything a doctor asks him (her) to do and is trained to do,” including sophisticated procedures.
He also pointed out that a type I service — Allen County’s rating — required a paramedic or equivalent on each run. A type I ambulance, comprehensively outfitted with life-saving equipment and drugs, is required to be responsive 24 hours a day.
Type II service — Iola’s level — requires two emergency medical technicians be on board, one of whom may be the driver. Ron Conaway, who directs Iola’s service, noted in previous meetings that Iola had type I capabilities because the city had a number of paramedics on staff.
IN OTHER news, committee members asked Jason Nelson, county ambulance director, to provide them with studies done by the Board of EMS concerning services similar those in Allen County.
John McRae, former Iola mayor and committee member, said associated issues, such as what might happen to Iola’s Fire Department if countywide ambulance service was all in the county’s court, also needed full airing.
While committee members remain in an information-gathering mode, they are of one mind about ambulance service — that it should remain at the present level, or better, and at the least cost possible.
“Taxpayers wouldn’t accept anything less,” said Kent Thompson. “They shouldn’t.”
Thompson also said he thought some relationship between ambulance service and the hospital “should get a look.”
