County inks new contract with Jackson County EMS

The Jackson County Commissioners have approved a new one-year contract with Jackson County EMS for ambulance services. The new county contract represents a $65,000 increase over the previous one.

At a special meeting Tuesday, the commissioners signed off on the new contract, which will begin Jan. 1, 2016, after it was reviewed by County Counselor Alex Morrissey. 

Jackson County EMS will receive $252,000 total in county funding next year to provide ambulance services in the county. 

The county’s current three-year contract with the company expires at the end of the year. From 2013 to 2015, Jackson County EMS received $187,000 a year in county funds. 

Prior to that contract, the county allocated $159,500 each year in 2010, 2011 and 2012 to the company. 

A five-year agreement between both entities was established from 2005 to 2009, with EMS receiving $130,000 in both 2005 and 2006 and $145,000 annually in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

The contract states that Jackson County EMS will continue to provide ambulance services to all of Jackson County, including the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, and also be allowed to respond to outlying areas when called to assistant in an emergency. 

As part of the contract, Jackson County EMS will provide two ambulances to the county. One will be stationed in Holton, with the second unit located at the discretion of Jackson County EMS. The company will staff the primary ambulance at all times, and the secondary ambulance will be an on-call ambulance and will be staffed at all times, if staffing is available. 

Throughout this summer, Brent Teter and Jay Watkins, owners and operators of Jackson County EMS, met with the commissioners to request additional funding for the upcoming contract in order to fully staff a second ambulance. 

Currently, the company’s second ambulance is staffed with on-call ambulance personnel. 

Teter and Watkins want to hire two more full-time EMTs to alleviate the problem of relying on on-call employees or volunteers. To fully staff the second ambulance, the men requested $350,000 in additional funding.  

The commissioners said the county does not have those funds available and suggested entering into a one-year contract in order to readdress the men’s concerns next year. 

Commissioner Janet Zwonitzer said that the commissioners are hesitant to enter into a longer contract with Jackson County EMS at this time because the county may have additional budget cuts coming from future state legislation. 

County revenues could be decreased if lawmakers continue to pass certain bills, she said. 

As part of the contract, Jackson County EMS will also provide, without charge, standbys for all law enforcement when requested and to attend all potentially dangerous fire scenes when requested. 

During the term of the contract, Jackson County EMS will provide no charge for the medical care and transportation for all Jackson County emergency employees while on call or in the line of duty, it was reported.

The company will also continue to assess and transport all county prisoners at the jail for free, as well as administer free blood draws on those suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs when it is requested by an officer. 

The contract states that Jackson County EMS will provide free cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and certification for all Jackson County employees at no charge. 

Both the commissioners and Watkins and Teter agreed to the $65,000 increase and one-year contract. 

According to information previously submitted to the commissioners, Jackson County EMS averages about 1,400 to 1,500 ambulance calls per year in the county, with 200 of those calls answered by its second ambulance.