Published: June 29, 2008 12:16 am      

Grant commissioners trying to keep EMS service available to county residents - Part Two

Hospital can no longer afford to provide the service

Editor’s note: This story is the second in a three-part series on West Virgnia medical services.

PETERSBURG, W.Va. — In 1975, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill obligating county commissions to provide emergency ambulance service to all residents of the county unless there is no money to provide such service.

The counties had five options:

• To provide service directly through their agents and employees.

• Through private enterprise.

• By contracting with individuals, groups, associations and corporations.

• Through an authority.

• Do nothing.

In response to the legislation, counties throughout the region began looking at how they could provide service.

A number of counties, including Mineral and Grant, chose to create an ambulance authority.

Mineral County continues to operate seven volunteer emergency medical services squads through its authority funded by an excess levy that generates about $172,000 for the authority. Only one of the eight squads uses any paid personnel. The squads also bill for services.

Grant County formed its authority in early 1978. At some point shortly after that, it was reported that the authority was disbanded by the county commission. Without evidence to support that report, the authority still exists legally, according to a Technical Assistance Team Report provided to the county in early 2007.

While other counties in the state are looking at how to provide service utilizing more paid personnel because of the reduced number of available volunteers in recent years, Grant County’s paid personnel are faced with losing their jobs because their employer, Grant County Memorial Hospital, can no longer afford to provide the service.

A technical assistance team was formed by the West Virginia EMS Technical Support Network on behalf of the state Department of Health and Human Resources to study the history, current status and future of Grant County’s EMS efforts.

The team made several suggestions, including to maintain the status quo, which hospital officials say is not an option and doing nothing, which the county commissioners said is not an option.

Hospital representative Sandy Michaels said the cost of maintaining the service is too great.

“There was a (hospital) board vote that the county take over the service or reimburse the hospital $300,000 a year,” she said.

County Coordinator Cindy Whetsell said the county commission does not have the money to fund the service and an excess levy is not likely an option for voters in the county.

County commission president Charlie Goldizen said the commission recognizes the service is an essential one and the county officials want to find a way to make the service available to county residents.

He also said he does not want to ask citizens to pay more through a levy.

One option the county is looking at is contracting with providers for the service.

Jim Cosner, manager of the Fraley Ambulance Service in Moorefield, Hardy County, said the Grant County commissioners approached the service informally to see if it would be interested in expanding into the Maysville/Petersburg area.

He said Fraley’s is a combination paid/volunteer squad that serves most of the western portion of Hardy County. He followed up by calling a meeting and inviting people who might be interested in serving with an expanded squad.

Contact Mona Ridder at monaridder@verizon.net.