Mona Ridder
Cumberland Times-News
June 30, 2008 11:53 am
—
Editor's note: This story is the last in a three-part series on West Virginia medical services.
PETERSBURG, W.Va. - Tanya See said she and her husband have been fixing up their house to put it on the market at a moment's notice because they won't be able to afford it without their jobs as emergency medical technicians with Grant County Memorial Hospital.
See saw an article in a local newspaper for an investigative meeting with representatives of Fraley Ambulance Services for anyone interested in joining the service for potential future employment.
See said she believed the meeting was called because of an interest by the Grant County Commission in having the service that is provided by Grant County Memorial Hospital taken over by another agency.
"The Grant County commissioners have not even advised the personnel of Grant County Ambulance about their intentions to get rid of them," she said.
See said the personnel of the hospital were unaware of the issues until the meeting was announced and prior to that they had only heard rumors from volunteer fire companies that the status quo was about to change.
Jim Cosner, manager of Fraley's Ambulance Service in Moorefield, Hardy County, said the Grant County commissioners had approached the service to see if there was any interest in the agency expanding into the county, especially the Maysville/Petersburg area. He said they were concerned because a report provided to them more than a year ago indicated the operation at the hospital is no longer viable without additional funding.
Cosner said he called the meeting to determine whether there would be interest in people staffing such an expansion on Fraley's part.
He said they are looking for EMTs, paramedics, drivers, even potential EMS personnel, including firefighters and first-responders.
"We had a good response," Cosner said. "There were about 40 people who came."
Other people also filled out the paperwork for possible membership in the Fraley service.
Cosner said if the agency expands it will likely employ four full-time EMTs and others on a pay-per-call basis.
Since the Fraley meeting, Grant County Commissioners Charlie Goldizen, Jim Wilson and Jim Cole have directed County Coordinator Cindy Whetsell to send out requests for proposals from area EMS providers for service in the county.
Cosner said Fraley's will likely respond with a proposal.
See said the hospital's EMS staff includes eight full-time personnel and eight to 12 part time. She said the staff not only serves the Maysville/Petersburg area but Mount Storm as well on a pay-per-call basis.
Sandy Michaels, representing the hospital, said the EMS staff employed by the hospital also works in the emergency room and at other jobs in the hospital when not on ambulance calls.
The hospital administration recognizes that employees will likely lose their jobs but the hospital can no longer afford to operate the service as it exists.
This was reinforced by a state-initiated technical assistance team that studied the issue and submitted a report to the county commission in February 2007 recommending that the status quo not continue and that the county consider other options.
Whetsell said the RFPs will go out to any and all potential providers, including those that might serve Mount Storm.
She said another option for the mountaintop area of the county would be for the fire companies to establish a volunteer squad utilizing county-owned ambulances and equipment.
Contact Mona Ridder at mridder@times-news.com.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.