Calls remain constant in May
Marion County Emergency Medical Service responded to 87 calls during May, four less than the previous month.
EMS director Darryl Thiesen reported June 13 to Marion County Commission that Hillsboro had 37 calls, Marion and Peabody had 16 each, Tampa 10, and Florence eight.
Of those calls, 29 were medical emergencies; 16 transfers; nine falls; four cardiac, three each motor vehicle accident and standby, and one turnaround (ambulance sent back before arriving at destination). There were 22 no transports.
There were seven first responder calls — six in Goessel, and one in Durham.
Thiesen also reported:
— A probable test date for a current EMT class will be July 16.
— A defensive driving class for EMT students will be June 23. Two or three students will be trained to teach a future class.
— An extrication training class will be Friday at Marion. The class is open to firefighters and EMS personnel.
— Plans are continuing to install a keypad for entry to the Peabody ambulance building.
— A database has been developed to maintain and inventory supplies.
— Crew captains recently attended a quality assurance class. All ambulance and emergency units will be checked weekly for necessary maintenance and repairs.
— Commissioner Randy Dallke asked Thiesen the process to dispatch a medical helicopter. Thiesen explained the dispatcher follows specific criteria. The county is not charged when helicopters are on standby or if the patient isn't transferred.
— A repairman from Indianapolis, Ind., will come to Marion to repair a Hillsboro ambulance. Lacy Motors Inc., of McPherson was to repair it as an authorized dealer but no longer is a dealer. The county will not incur any traveling costs and the repairman will honor the previous estimate from Lacy Motors.
— More than $184,000 has been collected by the ambulance department with the new billing system. The revenue is from patient expenses in 2004 and 2005.
— A five-minute executive session was requested to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with the commission approving the promotion of Woody Crawshaw to office manager at $11.03 per hour. Jamie Shirley, part-time billing clerk, was moved to full-time billing clerk at $9.17 per hour.
