Scott County EMS reports 2024 run volume, paramedicine partnership and new onsite blood supply; council approves paramedic part-time line
Loading...
Summary
EMS presented year‑end financials and run volumes, confirmed an on‑site blood supply established in 2024, discussed equipment replacement needs and integration with the county health department; council approved creating a health‑department-funded part‑time paramedic line to provide coverage.
Scott County Emergency Medical Services presented its end‑of‑year financial report and run‑volume data, reviewed a new on‑site blood supply, and discussed equipment and staffing needs for 2025. The council approved a motion to create a part‑time paramedic line within the Health Department budget, to be funded later, to ensure coverage when full‑time paramedics are unavailable.
EMS Director Nick (last name not specified in the transcript) walked the council through the department’s 2024 financial summary, month‑by‑month run volumes, and separate accounts for community paramedicine (MIH). He reported more than 700 runs attributed to the community paramedicine program and described the service as a shared program between EMS and the Health Department that costs “0 cost to our taxpayers of Scott County” because payroll support for paramedics is covered by the health department’s funding.
Staff told the council the county received and placed on‑site the blood supply purchased with prior appropriations; the supplies were bought in 2024 but the blood itself arrived after year‑end. The EMS director said he will likely request a reappropriation from the EMS fund (identified in the materials as the 11/51 fund) to cover blood and related medical supply costs that rolled back into fund balance at year‑end.
EMS raised equipment concerns: three power‑load stretcher systems are approaching end‑of‑life under Stryker certification and may require replacement in 2025. The director estimated replacement costs for each complete power‑load/stretcher combination and said newer systems under consideration are less expensive and include safety features (auto‑stop when the operator releases the control) that help prevent patient slinging and reduce back‑injury risk to personnel.
Health Department director Britney (last name not specified) told the council the department has funds available and asked the council to create a line in the Health Department budget for a part‑time paramedic. She said the health department has an extra $62,410 from Health First and intends to place some of that money in the new line. Following a motion by Elizabeth (last name not specified) and a second from John Collins, the council voted to create the part‑time paramedic line; the motion was approved as recorded in the meeting.
The council also discussed the EMS advisory board and the county’s paramedic oversight committee; Justin Cheatham was nominated and approved as the council representative to the paramedic oversight committee. The council asked staff to return with any required reappropriation requests and any needed budget adjustments for EMS supplies or equipment.
No tax increase or new general‑fund appropriation was enacted at the meeting; councilors said the proposed part‑time line will be funded later from Health Department receipts and would not immediately increase county taxpayer expense.
