Jackson No one in Carroll County seems content the ambulance service was reduced to two ambulances for 2009 due to financial constraints. Several township trustees and advisory board members continue to explore the viability of partially funding the lost portion of the ambulance service to remedy the situation. They met last Wednesday night with ambulance service director Mike Durr to hear facts, figures, discuss options and to develop a plan to proceed.

Durr provided an historical perspective when he explained the ambulance service was a volunteer service until 2004 when the county began to fully subsidize the service. E-911 director Jay Dee Cree added more information Friday that in 1985 a director was hired for the service who was a paramedic. A chase vehicle was purchased in 1986 in which the director responded to emergencies. He said ambulances basically carried emergency medical technicians who assisted the paramedic.

"When we went to two ambulances in the county, it became a critical situation," Durr said.

The group decided in January to pursue the concept of donating money to the county to subsidize the service to provide more and/or enhanced services to residents. Burlington Township Trustee Al Jackson reported to the Wednesday night group, Rick Cole of the Indiana State Board of Accounts said townships could contribute to the county ambulance service from the firefighting and general funds only. Jackson prepared worksheets of proposed numbers for audience members to understand the amount of money needed to fund alternative levels of service.

According to 2008 annual reports published in the Comet by all townships, the total combined amount available in general funds as of Jan. 1, 2009, was $1,189,303.87; available in all firefighting funds was $1,231,246.58; and available in cumulative fire funds was $476,710.74. (It should be noted that Deer Creek Township had not submitted a completed annual report for publication, however supplied numbers for this article.)

The group suggested a fair way to assess what each township should contribute to support two additional chase vehicles was to determine the number of residents in each township and figure the percentage to pay based on residency. Jackson volunteered to report that data at the next meeting. He said the goal was to develop a pricing structure that everyone could agree upon.

Durr said the ambulance service owned enough equipment for another two chase vehicles but lacked the funding for expenses, which would include personnel. He said the ambulance service makes roughly 1,400 actual transports per year.

Durr said the First Responders volunteer program "could make a big difference" in service delivery. First Responders volunteers would arrive at the emergency and assist until an ambulance arrives. Durr said although those individuals would not be able to provide medications or procedures, they could begin CPR and evaluate the emergency situation.

Carrollton Township Trustee Becky Phillips suggested a long-term plan for funding be developed because the future of available township money for the service would be eliminated with township government, if that was to happen.

The next meeting date and time will be announced at a later date.

For information concerning how township taxpayer money could impact the ambulance service, the names and phone numbers of Carroll County trustees follow:
Adams:
Carmen Slavens, (574) 943-3523
Burlington:
Al Jackson, (765) 566-2196

Carrollton:
Becky Phillips, (574) 859-3303
Clay:
Marla Milazzo, (765) 589-3159
Democrat:
Clayton Hutson, (765) 268-2442
Deer Creek:
Neda Duff, (765) 564-6482
Jackson:
Robert Dittman, (574) 686-2260
Jefferson:
Harold Erdmann, (574) 965-4233
Liberty:
Mark Justice, (574) 652-3451
Madison:
Dwaine Ward, (765) 268-2302
Monroe:
Kenneth Fife, (574) 967-3201
Rock Creek:
Brian Nipple, (574) 686-2074
Tippecanoe:
Joann Vianco, (765) 564-4221
Washington:
Lois Wallace, (574) 859-2695