South Sioux's first two paid EMTs on the job
By Michele Linck Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, June 27, 2008
SOUTH SIOUX CITY -- The first two paid emergency medical technicians with the South Sioux City Fire Department are on familiar ground. Both men were already active volunteer members of the department and held Nebraska EMT and Firefighter I certifications.
Jay Mathis and Casey Olson took the jobs and started covering ambulance calls about two months ago during the weekday daytime hours, when there had come to be a dearth of volunteers answering the pages. Between the two, they work shifts of 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., stretching the immediate availability of at least one first-responder by two hours a day.
"The main intent of (hiring EMTs) was to get two people at a call right out of the gate," Fire Chief Denis Campbell said. "We don't want to wait for that second page, third page. As soon as the pager goes off, they're there."
In addition to their paid work, Mathis and Olson are also obligated to turn out for ambulance and fire calls at night, just as they did when they were volunteers, Campbell said.
The EMTs earn between $504 and $600 a week, plus city benefits, with opportunities to earn overtime for required training and night-time meetings, according to City Administrator Lance Hedquist. They work directly for the Fire Department, which has more flexible hours than municipal employees are allowed under the law.
The two men also work to maintain the fire trucks, ambulances and other equipment, keep supplies replenished and generally take care of the city's two firehouses.
Ambulance fees
Prior to hiring the EMTs, the city decided to offset the anticipated cost and the rising costs of equipment by charging for its previously free ambulance service, as other cities do. In addition to providing for the anticipated paid staff and rising equipment costs, the City Council was concerned that a few people were routinely abusing the emergency service, calling 911 to get a ride to scheduled hospital stays or doctor's appointments.
Effective Aug. 1, 2007, the city began charging patients, or their insurance companies for EMT calls: $475 for a call requiring basic life support service; $730 for advanced life support measures; and $150 if the call results in the patient being treated at home. Hedquist said the collection rate is about 70 percent.
Jay Mathis and Casey Olson took the jobs and started covering ambulance calls about two months ago during the weekday daytime hours, when there had come to be a dearth of volunteers answering the pages. Between the two, they work shifts of 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., stretching the immediate availability of at least one first-responder by two hours a day.
"The main intent of (hiring EMTs) was to get two people at a call right out of the gate," Fire Chief Denis Campbell said. "We don't want to wait for that second page, third page. As soon as the pager goes off, they're there."
In addition to their paid work, Mathis and Olson are also obligated to turn out for ambulance and fire calls at night, just as they did when they were volunteers, Campbell said.
The EMTs earn between $504 and $600 a week, plus city benefits, with opportunities to earn overtime for required training and night-time meetings, according to City Administrator Lance Hedquist. They work directly for the Fire Department, which has more flexible hours than municipal employees are allowed under the law.
The two men also work to maintain the fire trucks, ambulances and other equipment, keep supplies replenished and generally take care of the city's two firehouses.
Ambulance fees
Prior to hiring the EMTs, the city decided to offset the anticipated cost and the rising costs of equipment by charging for its previously free ambulance service, as other cities do. In addition to providing for the anticipated paid staff and rising equipment costs, the City Council was concerned that a few people were routinely abusing the emergency service, calling 911 to get a ride to scheduled hospital stays or doctor's appointments.
Effective Aug. 1, 2007, the city began charging patients, or their insurance companies for EMT calls: $475 for a call requiring basic life support service; $730 for advanced life support measures; and $150 if the call results in the patient being treated at home. Hedquist said the collection rate is about 70 percent.
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Matthew wrote on Jul 6, 2008 2:41 AM:
Really wrote on Jul 5, 2008 11:56 PM:
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