February 17, 2000

WRT fire department, Rural/Metro seek to improve service in township

       White River Township Fire Department and Rural Metro ambulance service are working on an agreement to better serve the county’s fastest growing area.  “We have several issues with Rural Metro,” said township Fire Chief Mike Dutton. “Firstly, they do not accept emergency Medicaid/Medicare. That alone makes several of our older people irate. And secondly, we can’t rely on them to be there all of the time.”  With the ambulance service’s resources stretched to the limit, Dutton is proposing an agreement for an ambulance unit to be dispatched from the 1086 S. Runyon Road station for better response time.  “The ideal solution is fire-based EMS transport, but we just don’t have the money to do it right now,” Dutton said.  Currently, there are no ambulance units stationed in White River Township.  Any calls from that area summon an ambulance from another part of the county.  Since 1998, White River Township Fire Department has staffed one paramedic at each of its two fire stations 24 hours a day.  So, although they can make medical responses, they still need an ambulance to take the patient to the hospital when necessary, Dutton said. With an ambulance dispatched out of the fire station that will be easier.  “We will respond first and stabilize the patient, and they will transport and charge just for transporting,” Dutton said. “We’re still going to get complaints on the billing, but there’s nothing we can do about it.  “It’s not the best situation, but it’s something we can live with until we can afford our own ambulance service, which is what we’re striving for, and then we won’t be concerned with Medicare/Medicaid.”  Kelly Myers of Rural Metro said the agency has 18 units in the Johnson County area.  “Providing enough ambulances is probably always a struggle because there’s just a lot of traffic going on all the time,” she said.  “Our community is growing by leaps and bounds.”  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 

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