5/2/1989 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MM U(](]K frq.UE fj REPORT ON VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE SQUAD Commissioner Eggert asked permission to bring up her report on the ambulance service at this time, and the Board had no objections. Commissioner Eggert noted that there have been some comments that perhaps she, as a County Commissioner, and Emergency Management Director Wright, and some others, are working very hard towards a paid ambulance service, and nothing could be more wrong. Commissioner Eggert stressed that she has supported the volunteer ambulance system as long as she can remember and will continue to support it. She feels that Fellsmere falling back into its area that it can handle will do well with its volunteer ambulance service, and she would hope we can keep IRCVAS functioning, possibly even at an expanded level, for as long as possible. She did not know where this feeling came from because the last thing on earth she wants is for the volunteer ambulance service to cease, and the only possible way she sees it ever ceasing is if the squads come in and say they can't do it any more. She felt we are quite a ways from that and actually hopes we are never at that point. Commissioner Bird agreed that it is good to clear the air on this. He believed our primary objective is to provide the most efficient and effective emergency medical service we can, and his preference is to do it with a combination of the paid and the volunteers. We only got into paid because we felt it was necessary in order to maintain that level of service. He believed there unfortunately is some feeling in the community that the Commission or some of the staff are working towards the demise of the volunteer ambulance squad, but he felt that could not be further from the truth. Commissioner Eggert was also concerned that there was an interview in the Press Journal where Mr. Evans of the United Way made a statement that now that the County has taken over the Ambulance Squad, possibly the United Way wouldn't have to support 36 L