Ambulance service defended against charges

By Nate Smith, Staff Writer

June 23, 2009 10:20 pm

— SHOALS — Martin County Ambulance came to Tuesday’s Commissioner’s meeting to refute the accusations made by a member of the EMS community two weeks ago.
Don Malone with MC Ambulance said the charges made by Gibson County emergency medical technician Byron Christie were false.
“We don’t want to put anyone down, call any names or anything like that,” Malone said.
Christie said he witnessed problems with the EMTs with MC Ambulance after they cared for his brother-in-law after an accident on May 26.
Malone presented the commissioners with a letter from Ron Parsons, the EMS Coordinator at Daviess Community Hospital. Parsons reviewed the information and said in the letter that the EMTs did their job correctly.
“I have reviewed the run mentioned in the (Times-Herald) article, and Mr. Christie is stating unproven facts,” Parsons wrote.
Parsons went on to say that Christie’s four complaints of substandard care were also untrue and the EMTs at the scene did the right procedures.
Malone said he had the state EMS Commission review the run and he said they found no fault.
“Nothing’s been found wrong,” Malone said. “We even called the ER doctor and he said the (leg) splints were good.”
Malone, and Parsons in the letter, said that although Christie is an EMT, he cannot perform the duties of an EMT unless he is affiliated with MC Ambulance. Christie said he identified himself and was not allowed to treat the patient.
“That is state law,” Malone said.
Malone said the service takes every complaint seriously and investigates each one. He said he was dismayed after Christie’s complaints and refuted that he threatened him.
“I don’t appreciate Mr. Christie threaten to have our certifications removed,” Malone said.
Commissioners took the letter and Malone’s comments under advisement and said they would contact Christie to come to a resolution.
In other business:
BUDGET REQUESTS
Steve Sacksteder with Four Rivers Resource Services presented their budget requests for Ride Solutions and Red Door Industries.
Both programs asked for $5,000, the same requested amount as the previous year. The programs are part of the commissioner’s budget, which will be submitted to the council later this summer.
HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT
New Highway Superintendent Jim Williams briefed the commissioners during his first few weeks on the job. Williams took over for Darrell Courtright after he took another position.
Williams requested guidance on the highway department budget and opened a bid for $5,795 from CLR Inc. to remove the old Butler Bridge. Although the commissioners tabled the bid, they agreed the old bridge needed to be removed.
An executive session was set for Tuesday to go over the highway budget.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Commissioner Dan Gregory said the board has to appoint two to serve on the Martin County Economic Development Commission. The commission, Gregory said, was needed in order to access tax increment financing, or TIF, money from the Westgate @ Crane Tech Park.
A resolution was tabled until the next meeting.
The newly formed county Advisory Plan Commission will have a public meeting on the proposed land use plan on July 23 at the 4-H fairgrounds. The plan will be voted on July 26 and then be forwarded to the commissioners. George told the public the plan is to help obtain more money from grants and not for zoning.
INSURANCE
Auditor Nancy Steiner asked the commissioners for permission to shop on health and property and casualty insurance on the county buildings. Steiner said the deductible, $500, is very low and the county could do better on premiums.
On health insurance, Steiner said if the county wants to get competitive health insurance, the county has to start soon to get a large amount of bidders.
JAIL IMPROVEMENTS
Sheriff Tony Dant said repair work at the jail is continuing. Three of the four cell blocks have been painted and repaired. Currently, the jail has about 41 inmates, Dant said, with the state wanting to possibly send more to the jail, per a state contract. The capacity of the jail is 65 inmates.