New ambulance service right on track!

The Bishop-Driscoll 911 Ambulance Task Force met Wednesday in the first of a series of meetings topromote passage of an election in May to establish and ambulance district with taxation power.

The ambulance service, which is currently serving Bishop, Driscoll, and Petronila, has been in operations for two weeks through an inter-local agreement contract with funding from private donations.

According to Wesley Rogers, task force member, if the issue, which would fund about $14,500 a month in operation expenses, is not approved, the service cannot survive and will be terminated at the end of the current 1-year interim contract.

“The service has only been up for a bit and already has had a positive response from the community; we are hoping that it gets approved by the voters, and we can continue moving forward,” Rogers said.

According to Matthew Clark, a paramedic with the Medical Reserve Corps which is operating the ambulance service, 11 runs have been dispatched with half of them emergencies.

“Almost all of the cases that were emergencies were transported to Christus Spohn Hospital Kleberg,” Clark said.

“We also did three wellness checks, which is where we do a follow-up on some of the patients we assisted,” he said.

Clark said the ambulance staff of eight, with three hired from Bishop, is currently trying to familiarize themselves with the roads in the three areas that are served.

The staff is also in the process of creating a database of citizens, which would include a photo of the home, its inhabitants, information on their medical history, and a list of their medications.

“If we have a general knowledge of the citizens in the area and are sent out to assist them, then it will make a big difference if we know their medical history prior to arriving,” Clark said.

Currently, the task force is creating ideas to promote the election so that voters are fully aware of all the facts before voting.

“We want the public to know the facts, which is if the issue is approved, there will only be a five- to 10- cent tax (per $100 valuation) on their property per year,” he said.

“Right now the plans are 5 cents, but we want the public to know that the highest increase would be 10 cents,” he said.

For example, if a home was valued at $100,000, and the tax was 10 cents per $100 valuation, the most the property owner would pay per year would be $100,” Rogers said. “To have an ambulance service that could determine the difference between life or death, we think that is a small price to pay,” Rogers said

The task force is in the process of creating flyers and signage to raise awareness to the public and remind them not to forget to vote in May.

The task force is organizing fundraisers that would also provide opportunities for citizens with any questions to get more information.

In April, the Petronila city council is planning on throwing a meet and greet event where the public can have open conversations about any issues they have.

“We are also planning to have booths and flyers set up for information at the upcoming Bishop Chamber of Commerce Banquet and the Old Tyme Faire,” task force member Iris Harlan said.

“We will announce dates and upcoming events as they come along.”