Berlin taking steps to run own ambulance service
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Berlin firefighters have proposed starting their own ambulance service for the town. Stefan Hard/Times Argus |
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By David Delcore TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: July 22, 2009
BERLIN – Volunteer firefighters in Berlin are seriously thinking about launching their own ambulance service – a service they claim could conceivably be up and running in a little less than a year.
The department, which recently pitched the proposal to a receptive, but as yet uncommitted selectboard, has outlined a transitional plan that would culminate with the town severing ties with Barre Town Emergency Medical Services when its current contract extension expires at the end of next June.
According to the department's timeline, there are several hurdles that must be cleared for that to happen. The lengthy list includes a Town Meeting Day vote to appropriate an as-yet-undesignated amount of money to finance the start-up costs associated with bringing a new ambulance service on line.
However, before voters are ever asked for any money, the department is looking for a head nod from its members – perhaps as early as this month – and an endorsement from the selectboard. If all goes as planned the latter will be requested some time in September once the plan is further refined.
Board members were scheduled to at least preliminarily discuss the department's proposal at their meeting Monday night, but opted not to at the suggestion of Town Administrator Jeff Schulz.
Given the absence of two of the board's five members and a proposal that he said was still being "fine-tuned," Schulz recommended the discussion be postponed.
Volunteer firefighters in Berlin wouldn't be breaking new ground by launching a professionally staffed ambulance service. Williamstown did it three years ago and earlier this month the East Montpelier Volunteer Fire Department started a service that covers both East Montpelier and Calais – two communities that had historically contracted with Barre Town for ambulance service.
That decision caused considerable upheaval for Barre Town, which faced a loss of revenue and cutbacks, and started a chain of events that led to discussion of a region-wide service.
The idea of a Berlin-based ambulance service first surfaced earlier this year, even as the selectboard was being asked to participate in discussions involving the possible creation of the regional service. Those discussions, which stalled when Berlin signed the year-long contract extensions with Barre Town's ambulance service, have yet to gain traction, though officials in Barre, Barre Town and Montpelier are said to be considering appointing representatives to a study committee.
Fire Chief Nick Garbacik could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, and a firefighter referred comment on the proposal to Scott Bagg. Attempts to contact Bagg, the department's "association president" were unsuccessful.
However, a copy of the PowerPoint presentation prepared for the selectboard suggests that getting into the field of emergency medical services is more than just a casual consideration for a volunteer fire department where the new buzzwords are "adapt and change."
According to the presentation, launching an ambulance service could be the key to recruiting and retaining volunteers.
"… The Berlin Volunteer Fire Department must evolve into a dual-role operation and provide EMS to the Town of Berlin in order to secure and improve its future," the report states in bold letters.
That would mean hiring full-time employees to provide a consistent weekday response, while relieving volunteers of administrative and other housekeeping duties.
According to the report, the department evaluated two staffing options and is prepared to recommend one that would involve staffing the proposed fire and ambulance department with a three-man shift during the daytime on weekdays, while having paramedics on duty around the clock. Two volunteers would be designated to join paramedics covering nights and weekends.
The department has pegged the cost of running the service at roughly $450,000 – most of it associated with wages and benefits for six new full-time employees and costs associated with boosting the incentives for volunteers.
Based on what the report claims are conservative estimates the department is projecting first-year revenue of nearly $400,000. That includes almost $325,000 in revenues from projected ambulance runs and transfers based on Barre Town's call volume and an additional $75,000 that would be generated through a per capita fee of $26 that would be charged to the town.
Berlin's short-handed selectboard opted not to make any appointments to the proposed committee Monday night, suggesting that too was a discussion that would require input from all of its members.
The sooner the better, according to board member Susan Gretkowski.
"We clearly are at that point where we really have to have those discussions," she said referring to the fire department's looming proposal and suggested time-line.
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