GARFIELD — Providing advanced life support ambulance service in the most efficient way for the community is the goal. So say members of the two boards of directors for both VAS Ambulance Service Corporation and the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department.
Voters in the northeast Benton County area are being asked to vote on the proposed merger of VAS Ambulance Service Corporation with the Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department. Currently VAS is contracting with NEBCO to provide advanced life support ambulance service. The contract began June 1 even as NEBCO received a license from the state Health Department as an ALS service. VAS had been operating as a basic life support ambulance service.
A “yes” vote would merge the two non-profit corporations into one. A “yes” vote from NEBCO members will give NEBCO the authority to amend the articles of incorporation to provide ambulance service, according to chairman Kara Funk.
A “no” vote would take them back to the drawing board.
According to NEBCO Fire Chief Rob Taylor, the articles of incorporation for NEBCO, written in 1978, provided for NEBCO to provide fire fighting services - not medical assistance.
“If they vote against it, it could bring into question whether we can assist any ambulance, extricate at a car wreck or even provide water rescue,” Taylor said, adding “who would have ever known, when these were written in 1978, we’d be where we are today.”
Members of the boards of directors of both organizations approved resolutions approving the merger and calling for the elections required by the by-laws of both.
The NEBCO vote will be counted at 6:15 p.m. at a special meting of the membership Sept. 21 at the NEBCO community room. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. but votes may be mailed to the NEBCO office. Letters and ballots are being mailed this week to members and will be announced in “Smoke Signals,” the NEBCO newsletter.
The VAS special meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 21 also in the NEBCO community room. Votes must be received by 6:45 p.m. to be counted.
VAS covers 125 square miles. NEBCO covers 84.
The VAS Emergency Services District also encompasses the Avoca Fire District.
According to the ballot, as part of the merger, all assets of VAS will be transferred to NEBCO and VAS will cease to exist. Advanced life support ambulance service will be provided by NEBCO Fire/EMS. The fees collected for the EMSD will be kept distinct from the Fire Department fees, but overhead costs are lessened by combining the two operations.
The ambulance and staff are now housed in NEBCO station 1 and living quarters have been completed for the ambulance personnel who are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Funk said George Spence, Benton County attorney, recommended the boards notify NEBCO members in the same manner they would for an annual meeting or other special meetings through newsletter. He said the amended articles of incorporation need to go in front of the members to make it clear NEBCO is authorized to take over VAS and run ALS.
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SPECIAL MEETINGS
◊6 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPT. 21◊NEBCO MEETING; VOTE COUNTED AT 6:15 P.M.
◊6:30 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPT. 21◊VAS MEETING; VOTE COUNTED AT 6:45 P.M.
BOTH MEETINGS WILL BE IN THE COMMUNITY ROOM, NEBCO FIRE STATION NO. 1, GARFIELD
News, Pages 1 on 08/11/2010