January 31, 2008
Fixing the County's Northern Ambulance Service

By Dave Maxwell, Staff Writer

Although there may not be an agreement on how to solve the problem, there is a consensus that doing something to fix the ambulance service in the northern part of Lincoln County is necessary.

A large number of people representing the Lincoln County Ambulance Association in Pioche and the Meadow Valley Ambulance Association, serving Panaca and Caliente, were in attendance at the regular meeting of the Lincoln County Commissioners, January 22.

Because of problems plaguing both services, representatives approached the Commission requesting direction for help on January 7. At that time, recommendations were made for the groups to reappear at January 22 meeting to give input preparatory to coming up with a proposal to present to the Commissioners at the February 4 meeting. The County Commission is in charge of the ambulance service in the northern part of the County. Pahranagat Valley is exempted because they run their service through the Pahranagat Valley Volunteer Fire Department under the direction of Ryan Rhodes of Hiko.

County Manager, John Lovelady, told Commissioners that from discussions he has held with members of both associations, there is a need for someone to function as a coordinator of ambulance services in Pioche, Panaca, Caliente and the outlying areas. “Someone,” he said, “that can serve as an administrator or a manager to make sure that everything runs smoothly, that maintenance is done, that training is scheduled, to define job descriptions, job responsibilities, etc.” At present, there are two coordinators, one in Pioche and one for Meadow Valley (Caliente and Panaca).

Ann Smith, Coordinator of the Meadow Valley Association said, “Recruitment and volunteerism for EMTs is way down.” She requested that Commissioners send a letter to the State Emergency Medical Services asking for a variance to allow Pioche to operate its ambulance using trained emergency vehicle operators and only one EMT on board. Normally, state law requires that an ambulance have two EMTs aboard, but Charles Reifsynder, Coordinator in Pioche, reported that a two-year variance can sometimes be granted. He had asked Commissioners to make the request for the variance at the January 7 meeting, but it was not done, so Commissioners were again asked to send a letter to the state EMS.

Commission Chairperson Ronda Hornbeck favored having a centralized point where records and information relating to questions of who is trained, how many hours of instruction have been given, who is currently licensed and who isn’t, etc., can be located. It was her thought also that a “central administrator” be appointed. “If we’re going to run this as a County organization,” she said, “let’s make it be a County organization and get something central going.”

She said she recognized that the County Commission “has been remiss in taking seriously its obligation in how to best make this thing function for the County, and let’s regroup and see where we are and what we can do to help.”

Commissioner Paul Mathews agreed, and said he felt that a central administrator was the piece of the puzzle that was missing currently to make the ambulance services in the County run smoothly. He thought that a paid position (possibly an in-house part-time temporary position), accountable to the County Manager, would be a good solution to begin with. In other words, he said, “A go-to person who should know all the details.”

Dr. William Katschke, Grover C. Dils Medical Director said, “Having more manpower would help. In my opinion, having a coordinator that is directly responsible and accountable to you, the Commission, I think is beneficial.”

After much discussion, and a suggestion by Mr. Reifsynder, Commissioners voted 3-1,

Commissioner Wade Poulsen being absent, to adjourn the matter to the February 4 meeting. In the meantime, they instructed the key players in the two northern ambulance associations to hold a meeting and bring a list of recommendations to the Commission meeting February 4 for action. Commissioner Bill Lloyd, a Pioche EMT for 42 years, said he would represent the Commission at the meeting of the ambulance groups.