WEST OCEAN CITY — A lack of ambulance coverage based in West Ocean City could be remedied this year, as the Worcester County Commissioners discussed Tuesday options on how to bring a dedicated ambulance to the area.
With the budget due for finalization in a few weeks, however, whether or not action will be taken this year is uncertain.
Having an ambulance housed in West Ocean City, specifically at the Keyser Point Road Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company (OCVFC) station, has been on the county’s radar for years. Currently, West Ocean City relies on the Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) for EMS service. There have long been fears that the service is vulnerable since an ambulance crew must travel from Ocean City to West Ocean City.
“If the [Route 50] bridge is up, that’s where the problem comes in,” said Commission President Bud Church. “If there’s a traffic accident on the bridge or the bridge goes up, the response time could be terrible.”
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4 comments:
consider Berlin Fire Service to assist in ambulance services with stipend.
All politics! They have a great service now.
These commissioners are just as ignorant as the Wicomico County Council. It's time for both counties to take over county wide EMS. Funny how Dorchester County and the rest of the counties on the Eastern Shore can provide county wide EMS, but Dorchester, Wicomico and Somerset can't? Other than politics what is the problem.
If the fire companies don't agree with this concept then cut their funding off. They are only running the EMS service through their stations for the ambulance billing so they can buy new toys.
Louise shouldn't have a say in it since she is from OC.
Talbot County's budget shows $3,509,735 spent on career ambulance service for five twenty-four hour and two part time ambulances plus two supervisors. They collect $1,400,000 from insurance billing so the whole countywide program costs them about $2,100,000.
Worcester budgeted $3,361,908 last year to pay the volunteers to operate ambulance services as they see fit. It sure looks like Worcester could SAVE MONEY by taking it on themselves or going to competitive bid.
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