Watertown Public Safety Committee Recommends Ambulance Service 

Watertown Public Safety Committee Recommends Ambulance Service

Highlights from the LGRFA Ambulance Research Document:

When a resident calls 911 for help, both LGRFA and Mercy Ambulance are alerted by 911 Dispatch. The agency first on the scene begins treatment immediately – LGRFA is nearly always first on the scene.

Presently, the LGRFA does not provide hospital transport ambulance services – they administer advanced life support until Mercy Ambulance Service arrives. Then, Mercy transports the patient to a nearby hospital.

The national standard for ambulance response time -- help arrives on the scene 80% of the time in 8 minutes or less. Presently, Mercy ambulance achieves this standard only 17% of the time. Furthermore, Mercy is nearly as likely to arrive in 8-12 minutes as it does 16-20+ minutes after an alert is issued! In contrast, LGRFA paramedics, arrive 85% of the time in 8 minutes or less. Additionally, they are on the scene 45 % of the time in 4 minutes or less! Everyone knows minimizing every minute that transpires between the times of an accident and when help arrives is crucial.

Over the years, the amount of time elapsed for Mercy Ambulance to arrive to the scene of an accident has lengthened. Adding transport services to the LGRFA emergency capability will speed transport of patients to the hospital and allow Eagle and Watertown Townships to receive revenue presently collected by Mercy Ambulance and offset expenses associated with providing fire and emergency services.

Cost: LGRFA will generate revenues in excess of its expenses when it begins operating its ambulance service. Additional LGRFA staff is not required. Adequate numbers of highly trained paramedics are already employed. The ad-hoc committee proposal recommends the Authority lease an ambulance. LGRFA will begin to collect customary ambulance service fees presently received by Mercy. This will reduce cost of providing fire/emergency services to the Township’s by at least $20,000.00 per year.

Presently Mercy’s level of service is deemed substandard when compared to national guidelines. Furthermore, in spite of meetings with them over the years, they have made no effort to improve. To the contrary, they have moved their base of services farther from the Townships to US 27 in Dewitt. Meanwhile, Mercy Ambulance continues to charge residents rates and fees comparable to other agencies which meet or exceed national standards. LGRFA will provide ambulance services to the community consistent with standards in cost and response times.

The bottom-line effect of this change is substantially faster and more efficient deliveries of patients to the hospital and lower operating costs otherwise born upon Township residents, via taxes, to operate the LGRFA! The cost benefit analysis was prepared by an ad-hoc committee of Deb Adams (Watertown Township Supervisor), John Clark (LGRFA Chairperson), Dave Morris (Eagle Township Supervisor) and Steve Fabiano ( LGRFA Chief).

The Eagle Township Board has already given the go ahead to move forward. The Watertown Public Safety Committee met 8/3/2006, reviewed the proposal and determined the Watertown Board should move forward with creating the ambulance service. The Watertown Township Clerk, Jean Husby acknowledged the Township has a very healthy general fund, and is also able to put additional money away each year.

The proposal will result with cost savings to Township residents, and substantially improve the level of service – it is hard to see why the Watertown Township Board might refuse to move forward. There is a Special Board Meeting scheduled on August 14th, 6:00 pm at the Watertown Township hall.