What are usually handled as routine ambulance license renewals turned into a marathon session for the Fremont County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, April 23rd, as they reviewed the six month performance record of Arkansas Valley Ambulance which serves western Fremont County. County Ambulance Inspector Tom Anderson told the Commissioners that there is a certain standard of care and trust that comes with operating an ambulance. He said over the last six months a lot of those trust issues have been questioned.
Acknowledging that AVA’s Board of Directors faces a lawsuit and that the AVA Board has had its’ share of internal squabbles, District 3 Commissioner Ed Norden said the county wants to focus on the ability of AVA to deliver quality care to its patients and has the ability to respond to calls on a 24/7 basis. After reviewing the list of conditions set out by the Board of Commissioners last October 9th and AVA’s efforts to meet those conditions, AVA Operations Director Jay DeMay said he didn’t recall the specifics of the requirements because he didn’t get a copy in writing. Board Chairman Debbie Bell told DeMay she has a big problem with that. Bell said expecting someone else to deliver a copy to him in writing speaks to the issue of responsibility.
Commissioner Norden also spoke about prioritizing trust among the western Fremont Community noting comments that were written and submitted as part of an internet survey. Norden said he recognizes that the survey was unscientific and the percentages were skewed because of opponents who circulated the survey, but the comments were still very telling. Norden noted one comment said “Quit fighting amongst yourselves and get to the business of providing the best service you can”. Norden said another comment read, “Of course we’d like quicker response times, but reality is reality. I just want to know that there will be an ambulance coming”.
DeMay told the Commissioners that things have been in such a state of turmoil that the only way they can conduct business is by closing their meetings to the public. Commissioner Norden said that concerns him greatly. Norden said he understands that they are a private non-profit corporation but he told them, “Anytime you operate in the public interest you’ve got to find a way to operate in full public view when you’re dealing with such critical issues as patient care and emergency medical services”.
AVA Board Chairman Elaine Foster apologized to the Commissioners for reusing a letter of support from the board from last year that still had Commissioner Mike Stiehl’s name on it. Foster said it happened innocently as part of preparing a grant application and was not done with any intent to deceive.
DeMay made a pitch to the Commissioners to allow AVA to upgrade their service from Basic Life Support to Advanced Life Support (ALS). DeMay told the Board, “This is all about patient care, that’s all it’s ever been about”. He said AVA has two intermediate EMT’s ready to deliver ALS service to their patients. Of the controversial internet survey that was circulated DeMay said, “The survey is a bunch of junk, I don’t need my name smeared across the community”.
Anderson told the Commissioners he would have to inspect AVA ambulances again for ALS service because they were not equipped for ALS standards when he inspected on April 22nd. The Board of Commissioners voted to renew AVA’s ambulance license for another year at the Basic Life Support level and to suspend any decision on the ALS service request for 90 days. Commissioner Norden said that 90 day period will not only allow for AVA ambulance re-inspections but also coincides with a 90-day ambulance license granted to the Deer Mountain Fire Protection District (DMFPD).
The Deer Mountain Fire District applied for the first time for a new ambulance license acknowledging it was being done in part over the ongoing controversy with AVA service. The Commissioners gave DMFPD the 90 days to complete negotiations and work on possible mutual aid agreements with AVA, American Medical Response Ambulance, and Custer County Ambulance. Commissioner Norden emphasized it is an expectation with a new ambulance license for Deer Mountain that they promote and rely on the county’s E 9-1-1 emergency call system for dispatching ambulance calls in that area.
The Board of Commissioners also voted to renew ambulance licenses for American Medical Response (AMR), the Florence Volunteer Fire Department, and the Penrose Volunteer Fire Department. Northwest EMS did not seek renewal of their ambulance license. Anderson said Northwest EMS is currently out of service and unable to respond to calls so AMR will respond to medical emergency calls in the Tallahassee and High Park areas.
At the April 23rd meeting the Board of Commissioners also:
- Granted a three year extension for a Conditional Use Permit for the Northfield Coal Mine. The coal mine has never been able to begin operations in the Williamsburg area;
- Granted a three year extension for submittal of contingency items for a railroad loadout proposed for the future Northfield Coal Mine along County Road 11A;
- Approved a Temporary Use Permit for the Cañon City Music and Blossom Festival Carnival at Elm Street and Oak Creek Grade Road at the south edge of Cañon City.