Town goes outside for ambulance

Plattsmouth’s recent decision to contract with a private ambulance company to respond to rescue calls could be short-lived.

Concerns that several 911 calls had gone unanswered by the Plattsmouth Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department prompted the city’s decision to seek outside help, City Administrator Erv Portis said.

“The fire chief told us late last week that he didn’t believe the rescue crews could meet the public’s need,” Portis said. “We are shorthanded, just like every other community, on rescue staffing.”

The city on Friday contracted with American Medical Response of Omaha to respond to emergency medical calls for up to 90 days with a clause to cancel after 30 days. The Omaha company then posted a rescue unit in Plattsmouth and began responding to 911 calls.

Greg Bogatz, a lieutenant on the Plattsmouth rescue squad staff, said city rescue crews are still answering calls.

City personnel will continue to respond to auto accidents, water rescues and hazardous material calls while working in cooperation with American Medical Response.

Plattsmouth rescue crews will staff sporting events and community activities, Bogatz said.

“We look at this as opportunity to step back and look at how things are done before coming back stronger than ever,” he said. “We really expect to be back taking care of every call in 30 days’ time.”

Bogatz said Plattsmouth would ideally like a staff of 30 emergency workers to draw from. Right now, he said, the city has 21 emergency responders. He declined to discuss reports that at least three responders recently resigned.

Portis said short staffing of emergency crews is a problem nationally and something that Plattsmouth has struggled with in recent years.

Meanwhile, emergency calls in the rescue squad’s 70-square-mile territory have doubled.

A consultant’s report in 2008 said the program does not respond to 25 percent of calls because of a shortage of volunteers. Nearby communities, such as Murray and Bellevue, handle those calls, which can delay response times.

A 2004 University of Nebraska Medical Center study of Nebraska emergency medical services found that 72 percent of the community ambulance programs had difficulty covering calls, and 83 percent had a hard time recruiting personnel.

Plattsmouth’s contract with American Medical Research does not require any payment by the city to the Omaha company. The ambulance company bills people who use its services, just as the city crews do.

Ted Sayer, general manager for American Medical Response, said more staff can be transferred to Plattsmouth if needed.

Bogatz, a five-year veteran of the rescue program, said a meeting Monday night involving fire and rescue personnel as well as city officials was positive.

“We established an excellent foundation in that meeting and cleared a lot of air,” he said. “I think we have an excellent opportunity to move forward.”

Contact the writer:

444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com

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