Published June 14 in the Big Sandy News

First Response wants to give up emergency calls

By CHRIS McDAVID
Big Sandy News Johnson County Bureau

PAINTSVILLE — Plans for a local ambulance company to give up all emergency calls in Johnson County to the Paintsville Ambulance Service is putting city officials in a “situation” that must be addressed.

Mayor Robin Cooper reported to the council Tuesday night that First Response Ambulance is voluntarily giving up emergency runs, but will retain a certificate of need in Johnson County.

The mayor said First Response will operate on a “scaled-back” level and basically serve as a “medical taxi.”

Last month, Cooper and other officials discussed removing First Response, a Floyd County-based company, from the city’s ambulance rotation list, but council action was delayed to determine if the city ambulance service can handle the entire load.

First Response’s decision to be removed from the list leaves the responsibility of all emergency runs to the city ambulance service.

Cooper noted Tuesday that First Response has assured the city that it will continue taking emergency calls, though, until “we can take on the added burden of all the runs.” He also said that First Response will continue taking non-emergency runs if the company is notified.

“If the city is called,” Cooper said, “a city ambulance will take the non-emergency calls.”

The anticipated “burden” of taking all calls received through dispatch places a need on the city ambulance service to have another operable unit. The council agreed Tuesday to spend $50,000 to give the city ambulance service a third unit.

Councilman Ronnie Wells asked if three units would be sufficient, and Cooper said it would be about 90 percent of the time, except when unusual circumstances or emergencies arise — at which time out-of-county services will be available to provide mutual aid.

Concerns about already overworked paramedics and EMTs were also raised during Tuesday’s meeting, but officials said there have been plans in the works for some time to hire additional medical personnel.

One paramedic attending Tuesday’s meeting said he has received 96 hours in overtime during a two-week period. Ambulance workers, like any employee, like overtime pay, but the paramedic said the work load over an extended period is draining.

Cooper also noted that First Response has applied with the state to cease runs in Martin County.

Marc Tarver, owner of First Response, said Thursday that his company is exploring changes in licensure status, but it is “absolutely not pulling out.”

During the month of April, the city ambulance service responded to 126 calls and First Response was dispatched to 70.

Fire chief Bob Dixon, who also serves as the director of the city ambulance service, said the city’s service will need four additional EMTs and three paramedics. The added cost is estimated at about $112,000.

“Council has to look at the situation we’re going to be put in,” Cooper said. “Basically, they’re taking their bat and going home.”

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