Clark County Fire Department urges court to reject interlocal language assigning extrications to Winchester Fire Department

Representatives of the Clark County Fire Department told the Clark County Fiscal Court they oppose proposed language in an addendum to an interlocal agreement that would assign vehicle extrications and responses to uninjured fall victims to the Winchester Fire Department.

A department representative read a letter signed by board members saying county crews are trained and equipped for heavy rescue and vehicle extrication, and that sending city units outside city limits for prolonged periods could thin city coverage and create response risks inside Winchester. “This is not theoretical training. This is real world hands on experience,” the Clark County Fire Department representative said.

The letter described equipment and training — hydraulic rescue tools (‘jaws of life’), stabilization techniques and experience with farm machinery and large commercial vehicle extrications common in rural and highway incidents on I‑64 and US‑60. The department warned extrication scenes typically require multiple coordinated crews and significant equipment to manage traffic, stabilize vehicles and treat patients.

On calls involving apparently uninjured fall victims, the department said those patients sometimes have hidden injuries such as head trauma or internal injuries that can rapidly become serious and recommended that an “EC unit” be dispatched to fall‑related calls. The department also said it would be willing to expand county EMS coverage to relieve the county if the court so chooses, and indicated it could assume additional responsibilities if desired by the county.

The presentation asked the court to consider response coverage tradeoffs before approving addendum language that would change which agency responds to certain calls; the Winchester Fire Department and the text of the proposed interlocal addendum were referenced but were not read into the record during the letter presentation.