Sam Rafal is a public safety advocate who has been blowing the whistle on Athens’ for-profit ambulance service for over a decade. You can visit his website at WhenEverySecondCounts.Org. -APN
As many of you are aware, efforts have been going on for years to improve EMS response in Athens-Clarke County. National EMS has run a for-profit 911 ambulance service in both Athens-Clarke County and Oconee County for years. On April 7, the Oconee County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to terminate their relationship with National EMS citing poor response times, billing issues, lack of control, lack of accountability and staffing issues (lack of paramedics). These are basically the same issues we have had with National EMS in Athens for years.
I asked each of the two final mayoral candidates to answer five public safety questions related to EMS here in Athens. I appreciate their prompt and thoughtful responses. I will alternate whose response shows up first, starting with Denson based on alphabetical order.
Question 1 – It was recommended by our ACCPD and Mayor and Commission that our 911 Communication Center dispatch all 911 calls from beginning to end, including medical. Do you support these recommendations?
Tim Denson: “I do support this recommendation. The current system creates the opportunity for confusion for callers and oftentimes requires the caller to have to disseminate information multiple times if requesting EMS, making a clunky system that can cause delay.”
Dexter Fisher: “Yes, I support our 911 Communication Center dispatching all the medical 911 calls from beginning to the end.”
Question 2 – Athens-Clarke County Fire and Emergency Services (ACCFES) is often first on the scene to critically ill or injured Athenians. It has been recommended that ACC equip our EMT / firefighters to perform to their level of medical training – basic EMT. Do you support this recommendation? If so, what leadership might you provide to make this happen?
Dexter Fisher: “I believe that all of our Firefighters should have basic EMT training. I would work with our fire chief and make sure they would put these and other types of training within their department that will help our first responders when they are responding to our community.”
Tim Denson: “Yes, I do. ACCFES operates at a high level and, due to the strategically placed fire stations around the county, are well positioned to be the first to the scene. I support funding our firefighters in getting and maintaining their basic EMT training and the resources needed to implement said training.”
Question 3 – Athens-Clarke County is not in possession of our state-issued 911 EMS zone licenses. This limits our ability to make positive changes in this system going forward. Would you be in favor of pursuing control of our 911 EMS zone licenses as is being done in Oconee County (this would not require ACC to run EMS)?
Tim Denson: “Yes, I do. The current situation, with our hospitals holding the license, has caused numerous oversight, transparency and operational issues.”
Dexter Fisher: “One of the first things I suggested when I became a commissioner is that we need to have possession of our state 911 EMS zones licenses. This would be something I would support.”
Question 4 – One of the stated reasons for Oconee County terminating their contract with National EMS was lack of accountability. Do you support increased transparency and accountability for National EMS through their release of raw response time data?
Dexter Fisher: “I am big on data. That is how we determine how we are doing and what impact we are making on our community when it comes to response times for saving lives.”
Tim Denson: “Yes. Further, I believe our EMS Oversight Committee must become active once again and meet on a regular basis as this is one of the main tools placed in our EMS agreements to ensure transparency and accountability.”
Question 5 – Do you have any other comments regarding EMS in Athens-Clarke County, or the changes occurring in Oconee County?
Tim Denson: “I would like to follow this development and, if ACC does explore doing something similar to Oconee, I would like us to explore any opportunities to work with Oconee to find any shared efficiencies that could be realized.”
Dexter Fisher: “One of the first things I would do is take a hard look at what we are doing and how we can make our community safe when it comes to our response times. We can’t wait one minute when someone’s life is on the line.”
