Western Carroll County Ambulance District commissioners convened at the Berryville courthouse March 23 for opening of bids to provide ambulance service to the western side of the county. The Eureka Springs Fire Department Emergency Medical Services is the current provider for the contract that expires June 30.
Carroll County Judge Sam Barr brought a sealed box into the crowded jury room and handed it to WCCAD chair Sam Ward. The room was quiet as Ward pulled out bids from ESFD EMS, Mercy Ambulance Service and Ozark EMS.
Ward read the technical bids that described the staffing and services to be provided, and they varied in how each agency intended to fulfill requirements of the contract. Mercy’s bid stated they intend to dispatch out of the Springfield office, but Mercy representative Bob Patterson said they would defer to the needs of the commission.
Patterson told Ward the cost of ambulance service is tied to call volume and the requirement of staging two staffed ambulances for WCCAD at all times. He added the cost would vary with each provider depending on how each intends to provide the service. Mercy’s bid was $590,000 per year.
The bid from ESFD stated they would provide two ambulances at the main station in Eureka Springs plus a backup positioned at its station south of town and at its other Eureka Springs station. They asked for an amount equal to 85 percent of the annual revenue received by WCCAD. Ward stated WCCAD receives approximately $300,000 annually which meant the bid would equal $255,000.
Ward asked Fire Chief Nick Samac if the two ambulances at the main station would continue to respond to emergencies in Eureka Springs, which he said would make them part-time ambulances for WCCAD.
Samac responded ESFD would continue to serve Eureka Springs, but he would ensure there would be full coverage for the western district. His bid described a strategy of having two ambulances with paramedics available at all times plus two other crews that could be called in. He also said there are mutual backfill agreements in place for larger emergencies.
Ozark EMS asked for 80 percent of the annual WCCAD revenue, which would be $240,000, with an ambulance to be positioned in Holiday Island and another one west of Eureka Springs, exact locations not yet determined. They also have mutual backfill arrangements to call upon when necessary. Ozark EMS currently serves the eastern district with an ambulance positioned in Berryville and one in Green Forest. The agency also provides ambulance service for Izard County.
After reading the bids, Ward suggested they take the documents home to evaluate and prioritize them and decide whether they comply with what WCCAD requires. He said it would be best to settle the matter sooner rather than later.
Commissioners agreed to have a meeting Monday, April 3, at 1:30 p.m., at Cornerstone Bank in Holiday Island to discuss the bids. Ward said the decision could be made then or at their regular meeting Tuesday, April 18.
Final comment came from Dr. Greg Kresse who said he has been the medical director for ESFD EMS for 20 years. He called the decision on the contract “a public health issue.” He said he has seen ESFD tailor itself to cover the western district with staff trained in Haz-Mat and poison spill emergencies. He claimed ESFD could get to remote locations without GPS, a feat the others cannot duplicate.
“Our paramedics can open your car if you’re trapped inside… you’ve got the best fire department already sitting in a perfect spot,” he said.