Due to lack of funding the county ambulance service will look different in 2009 than it has in the past several years. Although the department budget was much larger in the previous four years, the county utilized surplus funds for some of those appropriations. Given the exhaustion of county surplus funds, funding for the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) was drastically reduced by the county council.

During the Dec. 1 commissioners meeting EMS director Mike Durr told county leaders money appropriated for 2009 would only fund two ambulances and 15 personnel - which include seven paramedics, seven emergency medical technicians, Durr and medical director Mark Estes.

Durr said Friday although the ambulance service will be running with fewer vehicles and personnel than in the past, the quality of service will not decline.

"Yes, we are hurt," he said. "But we will still respond like we have before."

"However, if both ambulances are outside of the county when a call comes in, there will be a longer wait," he added.

Durr said as of Friday, the department provided 1,830 runs in 2008. Approximately 597 of those did not involve transportation to a medical facility.

He said services will be reduced when 2009 begins. The department will no longer start intravenous lines in nursing homes or for diabetics and will no longer do blood draws for the jail. He said they would continue to provide transportation for residents who need to go to a doctor because there is no other provider in the county for that service. He said the patient pays the county for the transport service.

Durr said a committee was established last fall to explore the option of out-sourcing the service. He said it was concluded that option was not a viable one for Carroll County. He said an early proposal that he establish a company to provide the service did not seem reasonable after closer examination.

Durr said surrounding services have agreed to work in Carroll County. St. Joseph Hospital in Howard County will provide ambulance service to Burlington area residents in the event the Carroll County ambulance cannot. Monticello ambulance will respond if no other ambulance is available in the northern part of the county. Northeast Carroll County will be served by Cass County ambulance when they are available and the Rossville ambulance will respond whenever possible.

According to Durr, occupational standards are that EMS workers work 24-hour shifts. Although he is the head of the department and serves in an administrative capacity, he also serves as a paramedic. The flexible scheduling allows him to hold another like fulltime position in Howard County and a part-time position for Samaritan Helicopter Flight Services in Fort Wayne. Durr said although he holds multiple positions, he is able to complete Carroll County paperwork while working at another job, which is standard procedure.

"People need to know they are still getting an Advanced Life Support ambulance and we are still providing excellent services," Durr concluded. "By calling the county E911, our department will respond."

Durr said to begin analyzing funding options for increased services, he will meet with Burlington Township Trustee Alan Jackson Wednesday. He said a member of the Jefferson Township Advisory Board also indicated a willingness to discuss possible funding options.

The outcome of those meetings and the establishment of the funding advisory board will appear in next week's Comet.