LAWRENCE COUNTY - DECEMBER 15, 2022 - Lawrence County Commissioner Dustin Gabhart will appear before the Lawrence County Council requesting $300,000 in 2023; for the new ambulance contract approved by the Lawrence County 911 Baard and County Commissioners.
Over the last four years, the lack of ambulance coverage and a 911 contract for ambulance service have left City of Bedford and Lawrence County residents more than 45 minutes without an ambulance. Ambulance services from other counties have been responding to medical emergencies and traffic accidents.
Seals Ambulance service went out of service for St. Vincent Dunn Hospital today, and IU Lifeline Ambulance Service only was contracted to provide ambulance coverage for IU Bedford Hospital.
The Lawrence County 911 Board only required the volunteer fire departments to have contractual agreements to be able to respond to emergencies in their respective townships. Several of the volunteer fire were established as non-profit organizations to provide fire protection in their respective townships.
Both the former Williams Volunteer and Pleasant Run Township Volunteer Fire Departments were removed by the Lawrence County 911 board from the 911 system.
Pleasant Run Township Volunteer Fire Department has since be reinstated to the 911 system.
Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham requested all township trustees and volunteer fire departments to provide a copy of the contracts to the appointed volunteer fire departments
Seals (Priority Ambulance) or IU Health Ambulance service were not required over the four-year period to be a contracted 911 ambulance service to Lawrence County. The only requirement by the Lawrence County 911 board was to have certain radio and GPS tracking equipment on their ambulances.
At this time IU Lifeline is offering EMT courses to staff the ambulances in Lawrence County. IU Lifeline will pay those taking the course, and a job offering once they become certified.
Shawswick/Guthrie Township Fire Territory will start their 24/7 coverage beginning on January 1st; however, the county will not be compensating the new ambulance service for any calls with Lawrence County.
The agenda for the Lawrence County Council December 20th meeting is listed below.
Pledge of Allegiance
2. Approve Minutes
November 22, 2022 Regular Meeting and Budget Hearings
3. Appointments Salary Committee – Tim Sledd
Tonya Chastain- -Tourism Budget
Dustin Gabhart – Ambulance Contract Funds
4. Items for Consideration
5. Department Reports
Prosecutor Sam Arp
Sheriff Mike Branham
Chief Public Defender Tim Sledd – Hire Request & Transfer
6. Court Orders
7. Request for Additional Appropriation or Budget Transfer REQUEST
Public Defender Agency $11,609.00
Lawrence County Tourism Budget $399,864.00
Posted this 16th day of December 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
AGENDA SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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