Who Will Be EMS In South Dale County

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
[email protected]
334-790-1729
Date: Oct 02 2019 5:34 PM

OZARK - DALE COUNTY:   The Ozark - Dale County 911 Board met this morning in a special called meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to make decisions on the EMS Service in South Dale County.

The entire 911 Board was present for the meeting along with the Newton Mayor, two EMS Midland City Ambulance people, Dale County EMS, Napier Field Police Chief Jimmy Singleton as a representative of the Napier Field Town Council, Grimes Mayor, and ECHO EMS.

The Grimes Mayor made it clear the choice for Grimes was ECHO EMS. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.25 square miles (3.24 km²), all land with a population of 558 people.

CLICK FOR SQUARE MILES OF GRIMES

Napier Field Police Chief Jimmy Singleton told the 911 Board the choice for Napier Field was Midland City EMS. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.3 square miles (0.78 km²), all land and a population of 354 people.

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Midland City Mayor appeared minutes before the meeting was adjourned and had no comments. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Midland City has a total area of 6.1 square miles (15.7 km²), all land with a population of 1,703 people.

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Pinckard has sent a resolution from the Town of Pinckard  they request ECHO EMS to respond to their corporate city limits. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town of Pinckard has a total area of 5.3 square miles (13.8 km²), of which 0.01 square miles (0.02 km²), or 0.16%, is water with a population of 667 people.

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The Town of Newton Mayor was present and presented a resolution requesting Midland City EMS. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 14.3 square miles (37 km²), of which 14.3 square miles (37 km²) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km²) (0.21%) is water with a population of 1,511 people.

CLICK FOR SQUARE MILEAGE OF NEWTON

The attorney for Ozark - Dale County 911, Mr. Henry Steagall, said the Dale County Commission decided on ECHO EMS as primary provider. However the laws and Alabama Attorney General Opinions read the Municipalities may decide who the EMS provider will be for the Corporate City Limits of the municipality but not the jurisdiction.

The Ozark - Dale County 911 Board will honor the "resolution" of the Municipal Government of which EMS for the corporate city limits. The resolution does not cover the police jurisdiction but only covers the corporate city limits. 

The Newton Mayor argued the jurisdiction should be honored as well however the Chairman of the Ozark - Dale County 911 Board made it clear the resolution only covers the Corporate City Limits.

Ozark Fire Chief Phillip Prince said some areas of Dale County between Newton and Houston County Wicksburg Rescue covers. Chief Prince said Wicksburg always responds when called.

Ozark - Dale County 911 Director Paula Simmons said they would attempt to honor the requests of the municipalities but the primary concern for Ozark - Dale County 911 is the patient and when needed they would make decisions on the closest provider for the emergency.

ECHO EMS has a full time crew with over 21 consecutive years of service. They have a full time EMS crew at the Echo Station. The plans of ECHO EMS have been to place a station on Highway 231 with a full times crew. But the time wasted by these five Mayors has forced Echo EMS to wait and see what they were going to do.

And today's request has ECHO EMS in a position to evaluate their future plans of a station.

The Newton Mayor asked for specifics of what had to be done on the EMS funding. Attorney Steagall read what information had to be provided which included 90 days history of calls and calls answered. The records of Midland City are not acceptable. Chairman Wilson said they are told one thing by Midland City but the records at Stat eof Alabama EMS provided a different picture.

Dale EMS has gone to a ALS responder, not a transport unit. Dale EMS asked to be dispatched as a responder and not a transport unit. Director Simmons said based on the numbers Dale EMS has made and missed the Board declined to dispatch Dale EMS.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN NEWTON, PINCKARD, NAPIER FIELD AND GRIMES? JUST WHERE...  

Here is the problem. Newton Mayor there was a ambulance service in Newton at one time, years ago. It folded.

Until the Dale County Commission Chairman, Commissioners and State Representative passed legislation for additional money, the only municipality that did anything for a ambulance was Midland City. And they bought a ambulance with no real plan.

But Newton, Pinckard, Napier Field and Grimes has done zero.

ECHO EMS, Ozark EMS, Pilcher's EMS and anyone else Ozark - Dale County 911 could get to go has covered that area. 

GRIMES, you are to be applauded for making the decision for ECHO EMS. The Pinckard Town Council, not the Pinckard Mayor, you are to be applauded for making the decision for ECHO EMS.

Newton, Napier Field, each of you need to STUPID SLAP and are really greedy money thirsty cowards who are sacrificing people's lives for your greediness. And each of you should be held personally and professionally responsible for your negligence to the people you serve and guests.

Midland City, I applaud you for purchasing a ambulance. At least you did something even if you had no solid plan and your numbers do not add up. However you are sacrificing the entire area by not sitting down with ECHO EMS, a consistent long term provider of EMS, and combining your effort.

When someone dies the 33rd Judicial Circuit District Attorney should indict you Mayors and Council members criminally with Criminal Negligent Homicide.

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