By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
The Tucker County Ambulance Authority met December 17th in regular session to hear the latest updates and discuss business for the month of December. On the agenda was the Operations Report by EMS Director Amanda (Mandy) Simmons. Simmons updated the Board on the latest developments with equipment, grant applications and staff.
In total, Simmons said that Tucker County Ambulances drove 62,000 miles in the month of November. “Total Mileage is 62,000 miles we placed on the trucks this month,” Simmons said.
Ambulance 53, the old blue and white rig, was recently repaired and is now back in service, according to Simmons. “Five three is still in the garage it is now just finished up.,” Simmons said. “Tomorrow they should just now be able to figure it out and pull it into one of the bays. Hopefully Station One.”
Simmons said 53 will be back in service the week of the 17th. “Unit Five Three has been repaired, as I state,” Simmons said. “It will be back in service this week.”
The new ambulance, 52, has been out of commission for some time, according to Simmons, due to a broken transmission. “Five Two, our new truck, we are still looking for a new transmission,” Simmons said. “Because apparently GM is completely out. “
Simmons broke down the cost analysis by both the month of November for the Board, as well as for the year for each ambulance so the Board could see how much each rig was costing the Board to operate. “In our cost analysis this month, not only did I do it for the month, but I did it for the year as well,” Simmons said. “So that you can see which one we are having the most trouble with.”
Simmons said that Ambulance 54 cost nearly half the budget for the year. “Five Four is our stayfer,” Simmons said. “Its half of our budget for the year.”
In total, between five ambulances, the Board spent $40,813.62. “Total cost $40,813.62 on the ambulances this year, is what we’ve spent,” Simmons said.
Of the ambulances currently in operation, the only rig to not cost the Board any money in repairs in November, according to the Director’s Report was Ambulance 50 which drove 2,753.6 miles in the month of November. Ambulance 51 cost the Board $8.19 for a bolt for a caliper in November and drove a total of 1,895.4 miles. Ambulance 54 required the repair to a rear tire, rotors, calipers, u joints and oil for a cost of $4,193.07. The Director’s Report states a total monthly cost for November of $4,201.26 in repairs.
Year to date, Ambulance 50 has cost $5,150.09; Ambulance 51 has cost $2,020.54; Ambulance 52 has cost $2,255.99; Ambulance 53 has cost $11,843.89 and Ambulance 54 has cost $19,543.11 according to the Director’s Report for a yearly total of $40,813.62
Simmons also outlined the grants that she has been working on for the Board. “So going over the Grant Report, Congressional Funding for Station One, I have already begun working on and would like to meet with the new Senator on this for funding for a new Station One,” Simmons said.
Simmons said she had also applied for an AFG ( Assistance to Firefighters Grant). According to Simmons, the AFG Grant was placed to pay for two ambulances for the service. “AFG Grant has been submitted for the Ambulance funding,” Simmons said. “Daniel Henderson placed that into play for two ambulances.”
Simmons said she was also waiting to receive funding from an AFG Micro Grant that had been awarded. “AFG Micro Grant, again just waiting for the funding to come through on that,” Simmons said. “It should come through within the next 30 days I would assume.”
Also included in the update by Simmons was a grant being applied for that would fund the purchase more Stair Chair systems to assist crews in lifting and moving patients. “Firehouse Sub Grant, we have another month before we will be notified as to whether we will receive anything from there for two Powerlift systems for Stair Chair,” Simmons said. “Two Stair Chair in roughly the amount of $30,000 is what it will cost for two Stair Chairs. Mind you though, our 120 pound little EMT can go and take a 350 pound man up and down the stairs by herself. Now would we recommend that, no, but she could if she needed to.”
Simmons said she is awaiting confirmation from the West Virginia First Foundation on the status of a grant application. “West Virginia First Grant submitted on the 8th of October,” Simmons said. “Again, we are just waiting on confirmation of when we are going to receive that.”
Simmons received a reimbursement grant from the Tucker County Endowment Foundation in the amount of $2,000 for training. A motion was made during session to return in to the general fund since the Board had already paid for the training that the grant had reimbursed the funds for. There was also an additional $1,500 grant that Simmons said would remain in the account pending the receipt of an mannequin the funds had been specified to purchase. “Tucker County Endowment Foundation in the amount of $2, 000 for reimbursement of training, I will need a motion on this later on in the evening” Simmons said. “The 1500 will sit in our account until our mannequin is obtained.”
Simmons said that all transports had been successfully completed in the month of November.“We were able to successfully take on all of the transports for the month of November,” Simmons said. “By the skin of our teeth, but we did it.”
Employee updates were sparse, but positive by Simmons. According to Simmons all but one EMT has completed their certifications and the one remaining will be done shortly. “EMT certifications, except for one that I found out about today, I thought I had been completed, all of this had been taken care of” Simmons said. “We have one today. I am speaking with Brian, we will have her finished…That will be taken care of ASAP.”
There will be a new medic began the week of the 21st, according to Simmons and the medic comes recommended by Medical Director Dr. P.S. Martin. “We have a new medic beginning this week on the 21st,” Simmons said. “He is coming on under the advisement of P.S. Martin, which is great. He is starting his med school next year. So he is going to work with us this entire year.”
The Ambulance Authority also has a new driver starting in December, according to Simmons. “We do have a new driver coming on this month,” Simmons said.
