Posted by: Bethany on 01/28/2008 04:20 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 03/05/2008 01:50 PM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
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Copper Fire Protection District Responds to Ambulance Reduction Issue ~ By Bethany Monk
Copperopolis, C.A….About 20 people attended the Copper Fire Protection District’s special board meeting Monday, Jan. 28 to discuss the planned reduction in ambulance service in Calaveras County....
Copper Fire Protection District Director John Maness
Copperopolis firefighters and paramedics, and members of the community, including the area’s District Supervisor Russ Thomas, were in attendance. The meeting began at 12:30 and last about one hour.
The special meeting was held in response to the American Legion Ambulance plan to reduce ambulance staffing in Calaveras County. In a letter dated Jan. 11, American Legion Ambulance vice president of operations Alan F. McNany, states: “American Legion Ambulance is suffering a serious economical time.” Operation costs are increasing and call volumes are decreasing, he writes further, and “…the company has no other choice but to reduce unit hours.”
This will result in the elimination of a 12-hour ambulance car in the Mokelumne Hill area. This will go into effect Feb. 16.
American Legion Ambulance staffs three ambulances in the county 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Two other ambulances are in operation in the county between 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day; one of these units is used to perform non-emergency inter-facility transfers—it is one of these units that will be cut from county use next month.
“They didn’t ask for permission to do that,” John Maness, director of Copper Fire Protection District wrote in an article dated Jan. 18, posted on copperonline.com. “They recently announced that’s what they’re doing because revenue recently dipped 16%.”
“They’re claiming it takes $700,000 to operate one ambulance,” Maness said during the meeting, as he referred to American Legion Ambulance’s reason for cutting “overhead.”
Pulling another car “out of the system” will adversely affect the community, according to Copper Fire District Captain Mike Shirley. Copper Fire has paramedics on staff who are first responders, but do not transport people. American Legion Ambulance, stationed in Angels Camp, has a 20-minute response time to get to an accident in Copperopolis.
Cutting an ambulance vehicle "is a huge risk," according to Copper Fire Protection District paramedic Delya Stoltz. In the summertime, there are sometimes two to three 9-1-1 calls per hour for someone in Copperopolis needing an ambulance, she said.
“We need to see what we can do to work together,” said Tony Powers, Copper Fire District Fire Chief. Powers has a meeting scheduled with American Legion Ambulance to try to work out an agreement regarding action the Fire District may take if an extended ambulance response time is approved. American Legion Ambulance response time in Copperopolis is currently 20 minutes; many people at the meeting felt this time was too long to begin with. Copper Fire District may also explore the possibilities of helping the Legion transport people needing medical attention.
“I’m one hundred percent behind you,” Supervisor Thomas told the board, adding that he’s “ready to go to bat” for them.
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