Texas County Loses EMS

[Dustdevil]

Let's see how long it takes community leaders to find a way to git 'er done. I bet it's not long! Until then, they made their bed. Let them lay in it.

See video at link.

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/42367002.html

Local Cities Will Be Without Ambulance Service Next Week

Posted: 9:37 PM Apr 2, 2009

Last Updated: 11:11 PM Apr 2, 2009

Reporter:

Steve Fullhart

Email Address:

fullhart@kbtx.com

Beginning Tuesday, unless stop gap solutions materialize, thousands in northeast Leon County will be without ambulance service for the coming weeks, if not months.

The longtime providers of emergency medical service, a company based out of Palestine, can no longer cover the costs after years of service in the Buffalo-Flo-Oakwood area. Their deal -- one that was essentially a free service to the area -- ends Tuesday.

Now, it will be at least May -- when an election item is voted on -- until ambulances can answer calls to the thousands of residents and tens of thousands of drivers passing through.

For Buffalo Fire Chief Shaine Reeder, there's only so much he's trained to do when an accident happens on area roads.

"We have the jaws of life," Reeder said. "We can cut them out of it, but we've got no way of transporting them and be able to give them patient care that they need."

I-45 brings tens of thousands of cars north and south each day. Though the population of Leon County may be small, there are plenty of people first responders are obligated to serve.

Now, prayer might be the only option for those who live or come through northeast Leon County.

There's no emergency service district, or ESD, for that portion of the county, and that's step one in contracting with EMS.

Nearby Jewett, which is in a separate ESD, can't respond without a contract, or else they risk legal issues in their area.

"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize that we can't come over here and help," said David Nobles with Jewett EMS speaking to concerned Buffalo citizens Thursday. "It's a very difficult thing for us to have to do."

As for medical helicopter service, legal and logistical issues stand in the way. Some days aren't clear enough for the choppers of Air Evac EMS to fly. Some patients can't be reached safely by the crews.

"Our company cannot be viewed as the first responder for Buffalo," added Steve James with Air Evac, speaking to Buffalo residents.

Twice before this decade, northeast Leon County voters have had the opportunity to enact an ESD for their area, but twice, when the votes were tallied, it was voted down, including by just 13 votes a couple years ago.

Those against it have cited an increase in taxes as the reason for their votes. In May, voters have the option to approve an increase of 10 cents per $100 valuation on property taxes that would allow EMS service to return. That's $100 for every $100,000 of property value that would be paid each year.

It's the price the majority must be willing to pay, or else thousands will have no one to call for help, a thought that shakes Chief Reeder.

"They could sit right there and die in front of us, and there's nothing we can do with it," he said.

There will be multiple meetings in those affected Leon County communities before election day to discuss the item on the ballot.

As for now, residents are in search of stop-gap solutions to their ambulance issue, though there are some who believe they'll get an answer to their 911 calls regardless.

[mediccjh]

Let's see how long it takes community leaders to find a way to git 'er done. I bet it's not long! Until then, they made their bed. Let them lay in it.

See video at link.

http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/42367002.html

Local Cities Will Be Without Ambulance Service Next Week

Posted: 9:37 PM Apr 2, 2009

Last Updated: 11:11 PM Apr 2, 2009

Reporter:

Steve Fullhart

Email Address:

fullhart@kbtx.com

Beginning Tuesday, unless stop gap solutions materialize, thousands in northeast Leon County will be without ambulance service for the coming weeks, if not months.

The longtime providers of emergency medical service, a company based out of Palestine, can no longer cover the costs after years of service in the Buffalo-Flo-Oakwood area. Their deal -- one that was essentially a free service to the area -- ends Tuesday.

Now, it will be at least May -- when an election item is voted on -- until ambulances can answer calls to the thousands of residents and tens of thousands of drivers passing through.

For Buffalo Fire Chief Shaine Reeder, there's only so much he's trained to do when an accident happens on area roads.

"We have the jaws of life," Reeder said. "We can cut them out of it, but we've got no way of transporting them and be able to give them patient care that they need."

I-45 brings tens of thousands of cars north and south each day. Though the population of Leon County may be small, there are plenty of people first responders are obligated to serve.

Now, prayer might be the only option for those who live or come through northeast Leon County.

There's no emergency service district, or ESD, for that portion of the county, and that's step one in contracting with EMS.

Nearby Jewett, which is in a separate ESD, can't respond without a contract, or else they risk legal issues in their area.

"From the bottom of my heart, I apologize that we can't come over here and help," said David Nobles with Jewett EMS speaking to concerned Buffalo citizens Thursday. "It's a very difficult thing for us to have to do."

As for medical helicopter service, legal and logistical issues stand in the way. Some days aren't clear enough for the choppers of Air Evac EMS to fly. Some patients can't be reached safely by the crews.

"Our company cannot be viewed as the first responder for Buffalo," added Steve James with Air Evac, speaking to Buffalo residents.

Twice before this decade, northeast Leon County voters have had the opportunity to enact an ESD for their area, but twice, when the votes were tallied, it was voted down, including by just 13 votes a couple years ago.

Those against it have cited an increase in taxes as the reason for their votes. In May, voters have the option to approve an increase of 10 cents per $100 valuation on property taxes that would allow EMS service to return. That's $100 for every $100,000 of property value that would be paid each year.

It's the price the majority must be willing to pay, or else thousands will have no one to call for help, a thought that shakes Chief Reeder.

"They could sit right there and die in front of us, and there's nothing we can do with it," he said.

There will be multiple meetings in those affected Leon County communities before election day to discuss the item on the ballot.

As for now, residents are in search of stop-gap solutions to their ambulance issue, though there are some who believe they'll get an answer to their 911 calls regardless.

All because they wanted to save less than $2/ week.

Those fucking morons. They got what they deserved.

[Chief1C]

You should have bought a hearse, Dust, think of all the money you could be scraping in..

[Kiwiology]

Whatsay we get an old sixties ford wagon with those ridicilously oversided red lights, a great big four foot tall radio aerial and a mechanical siren? Hot diggity now we talkin y'all!

[RatPack]

Cost of EMS...10$

Cost of garbage pick up....10$

Cost of street sweeping.....10$

Realizing you voted for the wrong services as you sit there watching your loved one die while awaiting the arrival of an ambulance......Priceless.

[Diazepam618]

Dumb ass Texans, I guess it's cheaper to die.

[Doczilla]

The longtime providers of emergency medical service, a company based out of Palestine, can no longer cover the costs after years of service in the Buffalo-Flo-Oakwood area. Their deal -- one that was essentially a free service to the area -- ends Tuesday.

You get what you pay for.

'zilla

[fortsmithman]

It's the same way here in the NWT the people don' care about EMS they don't know we exist until they need us. The people don't complain about how underfunded their EMS dept is they complain about how crappy the roads are. How crappy the sidewalks are. They complain about sewers. They even complain about parks and playgrounds. They complain about loose dogs. They have never complained about EMS except when they get their ambulance bill. Fort Smith has one of the lowest rates for ambulance services in the Northwest Territories it's only 160.00 .

[JakeEMTP]

Idiots!

Maybe, just maybe they will begin to see the light. FUND EMS! It behoves them as the Government to provide essential services to the citizens they ,wait for it, were elected to serve.

I agree with Dustdevil. They will have a Paid, professional service within the week. The citizens will demand it, but not until someone requires EMS and no one responds.

[brentoli]

Looks like their closest hospital is 22 miles away by interstate.

I hope the people driving grandpa like a maniac to that hopsital aren't the first accident on that strech of no ambulance-interstate.