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City, schools reach EMS deal

August 20, 2009|Sun Staff Report

Ambulances will staff football games at George Rogers Clark High School, but may not be available for other athletic events under a deal reached by city and school officials this week.

The staffing issue emerged in July, when Winchester Fire-EMS Chief Danny Castle reported that a recent surge in emergency calls has decreased the availability of on-duty crews to remain on standby at school sporting events. Instead, the department must call in personnel on overtime.

Castle estimated that staffing the games costs about $120 per hour — more than $8,200 each year — once wages, fuel and ambulance costs are totaled.

On Tuesday, the Clark County Board of Education approved a $2,500 payment to cover overtime wages for freshman, junior varsity and varsity football games at GRC and asked Winchester Fire-EMS to staff other games with an on-duty crew when possible.

The Winchester Board of Commissioners accepted the payment at a simultaneous meeting Tuesday night.

"If we can get the overtime, we can just about guarantee an ambulance there," Castle said. "If we have to use on-duty crews, we will do the very best we can to cover those games."

School officials said an ambulance wasn't necessary at soccer games, reasoning that the soccer fields are in close proximity to Wincheser Fire-EMS Stations 1 and 2.

School Board Chairwoman Judy Hicks cast doubt on the fairness of paying for football coverage but not soccer. Board member B.J. Swope said serious physical injuries are more common with football.

Still, Castle questioned the rationale.

"Station 1 is a lot closer to the high school football field than it is the soccer field," he said.

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