Ambulance licensed as ALS

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

— Advanced life support is now provided by ambulance service in northeast Benton County.

It’s been three years in the works, but VAS Ambulance Service is now an advanced ambulance service operated as NEBCO Fire-EMS. Inspected and approved June 30 by a representative of the Arkansas Health Department, the ambulance originally put in service as a basic ambulance by Volunteer Ambulance Service of Northeast Benton County, is now staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by a paramedic and an emergency medical technician.

No longer will VAS have to call for Rogers ambulance when faced with a severe medical need. The ambulance is equipped with the necessary equipment and drugs to fulfill the requirements for advanced care.

“We passed with flying colors,” NEBCO fire chief Rob Taylor said. “It’s been a long, bumpy road.”

VAS chairman Dorothy Williams and NEBCO chairman Kara Funk met with Taylor as the three congratulated one another on the cooperation from both boards of directors as this service was created for the community.

“It was very much two boards working together for the community,” Funk said.

“I think we ought to be proud of all our two organizations have done,” Williams said. “I’m proud of our community. This is the only one (advanced life service ambulance) combined fire and ALS in the unincorporated areas of the county.”

“We’ve got a very good crew and a very supportive board of directors,” Taylor said. There are 19 paramedics and three EMTs employed by NEBCO EMS.

Living quarters - a 1,700-square foot apartment - are being constructed above the community room at NEBCO station 1 for the medical personnel who will staff the service.

The two boards of directors agreed that VAS would contract with NEBCO prior to a merger.

Taylor said the merger will be presented to the membership for a vote after an ordinance is approved by Benton County Quorum Court.

The three officials have attended several community meetings - including in Lost Bridge Village, Ventris and Avoca - to communicate with residents in the area about the service.

The VAS Emergency Services District encompasses Gateway, Garfield, Lost Bridge, Ventris and Avoca - areas served by both NEBCO and Avoca Volunteer fire departments. According toa letter dated June 30 from Taylor to Central Communications which dispatches the departments, an emergency medical call in the NEBCO region is to be dispatched to NEBCO Fire-EMS and in Avoca’s region will be dispatched to both Avoca Fire and NEBCO EMS.

“We’ve had great support,” Funk said.

“Our number one goal is to provide the community with the best ALS we canafford to provide,” Taylor said.

Although the name of the ambulance service has been changed, VAS will not be forgotten, the three assert.

“There’s still the history.

We wouldn’t be where we are today if it were not for the people who started VAS. We’re just the current caretakers,” Funk said.

Begun as a volunteer service in 1981, VAS was supported by a $15 annual fee paid by residents of the Emergency Services District. In 2007, those residents approved an increase of the fees to $40 annual on the property tax statements in order to fund an advanced life support ambulance. The VAS board of directors amended its bylaws in 2009 and became VAS Ambulance Service Corporation and began hiring personnel. licensed as ALS .

News, Pages 1 on 07/07/2010