County Board of Health Panel to study transport woes

Historically, the Kalispell Ambulance has been able to augment emergency services outside the city by providing transport to hospitals for a large section of the Flathead Valley.

But growth in the valley has stretched ambulance coverage and resources, Dr. Rob Bates, medical director for Flathead County Emergency Medical Services, told the county Board of Health during its meeting Thursday. Volunteers for emergency services outside Kalispell are able to respond to the scenes of emergencies, but they can't take time away from their jobs to get patients to a hospital.

After hearing the wide-ranging discussion, board members agreed to have a committee study the transport problems.

Bates said 75 percent of the growth has been outside Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Kalispell. The problem is not in emergency responses to the scenes but in transportation to the hospitals.

He said the Lakeside Quick Response Unit is qualified to provide transportation but has no money to hire staff for daytime coverage. Volunteers must take more than two hours off work if Lakeside makes the trip to the hospital. As a result, the unit often calls on Kalispell for transportation.

Similar problems confront Bigfork Ambulance.

Eda Taylor, volunteer director of operations at Bigfork Ambulance, says that department's resources are stretched, too. She said ambulance runs take her away from her job as business manager of the Bigfork school district for as long as 2 1/2 hours.

The department has hired a full-time paramedic to cover the days when most volunteers work. But revenue to provide the staffing continues to be a challenge.

"Our funding is mainly through fees for transport," she said.

Taylor said community donations and EMS levy dollars fill in the rest of Bigfork's budget, and that Bigfork needs more revenue to pay for staffing to keep the same level of service as the community continues its rapid growth.

"I see it as a real critical issue that has to be addressed," she said.

Bates said that combined fire and ambulance departments provide some efficiencies. He said fire subsidizes the ambulance service when operated together.

He said that Whitefish was an example of a combined department in the Flathead.

Kalispell also has a combined fire and ambulance service but also is unique, he said.

"You have a fire district and a larger ambulance district," he said.

Bates said the county doesn't have adequate coverage in many areas that depend on volunteers. He said private ambulances could provide the answer, but could introduce other problems.

"I'd like to see the existing service bolstered rather than a private operation coming in," Bates said.

After Bates and Taylor spoke, the board agreed to have a committee delve into the problem and potential solutions. Bates said he intended to research such communities as Bozeman, which faced similar dilemmas.

"I think we'll need to get creative," Bates said.

During the meeting, Mark Peck, the county's new director of emergency services, also addressed the Board of Health. He echoed the concerns expressed by Bates and Taylor based on meetings with fire chiefs and other emergency service professionals.

Peck sees an increasing load in areas that include hazardous materials and emergency services.

"We have really got to get a handle on emergency services in the county," he said. "We need to figure out a way to ease that pressure."

Everywhere he went, Peck said, he saw the same faces. He predicted this would lead to burnout in volunteers as demand continues to grow for services.

Peck's board appearance was scheduled as an introduction.

Peck said he grew up in Libby then spent 20 years in the military in the areas of combat medicine and operations planning. Peck worked for the state in corrections then emergency planning after his military career.