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County approves new ambulance equipment

Christmas came a little early Monday for Marion County Emergency Medical Services when Marion County Commission gave the department a green light regarding the purchase of much-needed equipment.

Darryl Thiesen, department director, said he and office manager Woody Crawshaw had met with county clerk Carol Maggard regarding the department's budget.

Collection of ambulance runs from 2004 gave the department a windfall of unanticipated additional revenue.

With the additional revenue, the department will encumber funds to be used to purchase the items in 2006.

The list included monitor defibrillators for the ambulances, stair chairs for the safe transfer of patients up and down inclines, two-way radios, PowerPoint equipment that included a laptop computer for presentations and classes, and a printer for the office.

In other department business:

— Thiesen reported there were 85 ambulance runs during November. Of those runs, 27 were medical emergencies, 17 no transports, 13 cardiac emergencies, 12 transfers, 10 motor vehicle accidents, four falls, and one standby.

Of those calls, Hillsboro responded to the most at 34, followed by 26 by Marion, 13 by Peabody, seven by Florence, four by Marion back-up ambulance, and one by Tampa.

There were three Marion rescue runs and one Florence. Goessel first response answered five calls.

— Thiesen presented a quote of $10,108 from Webster Auto Service Inc. of Marion to replace a diesel motor on the Marion ambulance, a 1995 Ford Econoline.

Thiesen said he wasn't sure if the engine's block was actually cracked as previously suspected and will request more diagnostic testing from Webster's.

— Decisions to archive the department's billing information was put on hold by the commission until more information could be obtained.

A prorated quote of $585 was presented from Dyna-Linc Inc., the same company that sold the county software for the department's billing, but there was some question as to the cost of weekly archival service for a full year.

Data from the county's EMS computer would be uploaded to the Indianapolis company on a weekly basis. If a disaster should occur and the EMS computer is out of service, the company would send a computer with the most recent uploaded information so the department could continue to conduct business.

— Information will be provided to USD 397 regarding the acquisition of an automated external defibrillator for the district. AED training will be held for USD 408 this week, said Thiesen.

— A training day is being planned for all emergency service workers. A tentative date of Jan. 21 at Hillsboro is being considered.

— Patient care surveys are being sent to two patients weekly for input.

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