Ambulance celebrates first anniversary as ALS

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

— One year and 416 ambulance runs later, residents of the northeast Benton County Emergency Services District are supportive of their new advanced life support ambulance begun June 1, 2010. Nearly 300 people attended the recent country breakfast fundraiser on Memorial Day.

The transition has gone smoothly.

“That’s what it’s about. We no longer have to meet with Rogers and can give the proper care and assistance the people here rely on,” Fire Chief Rob Taylor said.

As a result of the merger of Northeast Benton County Volunteer Fire Department and VAS (formerly Volunteer Ambulance Service), the basic life support service was licensed as an advanced life support service on June 1, 2010.

“We sell a lot of chicken and cook a lot of spaghetti ... that’s why we’ve gotten where we are,” Funk said.

“The economy is very fragile right now. As expenses go up, insurance coverage may go down,” Funk said, explaining that board members must constantly be on the alert about the finances of the department. “We don’t want to lose the ground we’ve gained.”

“It’s gone so much moresmoothly than I expected,” Taylor said. “The medics are so excited about the service.”

“All the medics have brought everyone to a different level of service,” Taylor said. “As a service, we need to look to the future and replace worn-out equipment.”

“It’s his (Taylor’s) creative thinking and his respect in the Rogers Fire Department that have helped us make it work,” Funk said.

By combining the two departments, $6,000 a year was saved in insurance costs. Also, utility costs in maintaining both sets ofbuildings have been decreased.

Another key was the decrease of overtime pay allowed by operating under a fire department.

“It was just common sense,” Funk said of the merger. “I think the people appreciate that we research, we talk, we don’t hide anything. Like Rob said, this isn’t about one person - it’s the community.”

Both commended Chris Jones, a board member and the accountant who handles the accounts.

“We’ve relied on him a lot,” Funk said.

“I have the dream,” Taylor said, “and he has the reality.”

News, Pages 1 on 06/08/2011