Spencer, IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — The Clay County Board of Supervisors and Spencer City Council held a joint meeting Tuesday night, March 11, to receive recommendations from their EMS Consultant. Representatives of the understaffed and underfunded volunteer groups from throughout the county were there in hopes Dana Sechler could offer up the magic solution.
To no one’s surprise the main recommendation is for the Supervisors to declare Emergency Medical an essential service and ask the public to approve a new levy as 21 other Iowa counties already have.

Sechler recommends the county spend part of that money on a full-time coordinator to assist the ten volunteer teams outside of Spencer city limits.

Other recommendations are to update radio and software, and to allow trained EMTs to help anywhere in the county – not just their district.
Spencer Hospital currently owns four ambulances with one manned 24/7, and a second parked at the fire station to be staffed by on-call volunteers. The consultant believes a full-time transfer crew could not only pay for itself but generate money for the overall EMS system.

The March 11th special meeting was to receive the report only with no public reaction or discussion from those in attendance.

 

Recommendations for Developing a Viable and Sustainable EMS System, Final Report