Community Ambulance today announced that it will open a new station in Duncan Falls. Community director of operations Phil Koster says multiple municipal leaders asked him to investigate options to provide faster, more reliable emergency medical service response for areas south of Zanesville. Currently Community Ambulance has 24 stations in Zanesville, Washington Township and New Lexington. This summer Community Ambulance opened a station in cooperation with the Washington Township Fire Department which resulted in over a 3 minute average reduction in response time to 9-1-1 ambulance calls.
Mr. Hiotis:
Please check your facts. When you state that Community Ambulance has "24 stations," I believe that is incorrect. Community Ambulance has some stations, but I do not believe there are anywhere near 24. What you may be referring to are their "posts." Essentially, a "post" is a parking spot. I don't think a parking spot should be considered a "station."
Also, Community Ambulance doesn't have 24 ambulances in Zanesville, so if they had 24 stations, most of them would be left unattended.
As pointed out by another in these comments, Community Ambulance handles multiple non-emergency transports every day. In fact, they handle more non-emergency than emergency transports. The reason for this is that the non-emergency calls are almost all guaranteed payers. I know this may be hard to believe, but Community Ambulance is in it for the money, not withstanding their "non-profit" status.
Why don't you ask how many times Community Ambulance has gone to a "level 0," meaning they have no ambulances available whatsoever. Yes, it has happened and it hasn't been because all the ambulances were on emergency calls.
Community Ambulance is very willing to be a good corporate citizen, as long as there is money to be made doing it.
We offered to go paid without any additional cost. Our squads would not have been pulled anywhere to transport a patient to or from an appointment. The first meeting that was done was without Harrison even being invited. Why not have both parties there? HMM. Sounds a lot fishy. The second meeting Harrison and CAS met seperatley with the "elected officials". It was a joke.
The elected officals of Blue Rock, Salt Creek, Harrison, and Wayne Township's and the Village of Philo met with represenative's of Harrison EMS and CAS to discuss and review past and present services of both EMS services. After a great deal of thought all these elected officals voted in there own township and Village monthly meetings to contract with CAS for what they all were assured will be the best 24/7 service to meet the need of all their residents at no cost to the tax payers. I am sure all these elected officials respect the dedication of all volunteer EMT's and firefighters.All of our volunteer units are in need
of additional help.
I'm not sure why. There have been rumors being spread about Harrison EMS. Regardless, if we are called we will respond.
well why wasnt there a town meeting over this i didnt realise that harrison ems offered the same service and it be dedicated to the area kinda makes me frown on the idea knowing that this service wont be avail 24/7 like i had originally thought
Basically, those ambulances are not dedicated to those areas. If the call volume is too much in the Zanesville area, those squads will be pulled to Zanesville or whereever to handle the call volume. If there is an emergency in one of those areas and the squad for that station is transporting someone from the hospital to a nursing home, you would have to wait for the next available. Harrison EMS offered to provide 24 hour paid and dedicated service to the 5 townships and Village of Philo. Instead of agreeing to that proposaln your township trustees and the Village of Philo agreed to have a squad from CAS sit down here. The townships and Village of Philo cannot afford to pay the cost to keep a dedicated ambulance down here. Yes Harrison is volunteer but we have been here for years. We live here and we care about the communities we live in. Some individuals have taken a personal issue and turned it political and the tax payers from 5 townships and a village are stuck in a mess.
i dont know about the washington station or the station in new lexington im just going on what i know could you enlighten me a little on the issues from washington and new lexington from what i read in the paper everything seems to be fine
Well, you might think it will be immediate but when things get bad in Zanesville, That squad will be pulled up there. They failed to mention that that squad will not be dedicated to the area. Yes Harrison is volunteer, but Harrison offered to put a paid crew on their station at no extra cost to the townships. They scoffed at the proposal by going to CAS. The Harrison squads would and will be dedicated the the areas we have covered in the past. The station in Washington township has been responding to calls in other areas and even doing patient transports. Ask the people in Perry County about the CAS squad in New Lex. Mark my words it's all smoke and mirrors.
I for one really think this is a good idea i am more than pleased to know that someone will be on the way as soon as one of my family members need help our ems at harrison does a good job but its not 100% lets face it they are volunteers they cant do everything this is just another good thing for us in duncan falls
Duncan Falls and Philo already have a fast and more reliable emergency medical service response for the area.....Its called Harrison Twp. EMS. I will accept the volunteers of said service OVER the CAS for my family's emergencies ANY DAY!!!