I know Forks EMS is in a tough situation. They have been trying to get out of financial trouble for the past few years and to establish a strong EMS for our community. I am an avid supporter of Forks EMS.
As I have mentioned in previous blog entries, the Forks Township BoS voted to have Forks EMS provide BLS (basic life support) service and to have Suburban EMS provide ALS (advanced life support) service to our township. I must admit this decision was interesting, as it does not provide a single provider of EMS service to Forks Township but two, one for ALS and one for BLS, and it provides one last opportunity for the Forks EMS leadership team to get its financial act together.
As reported by the Express-Times (see the Express-Times online article dated August 16, 2008 and the Express-Times Editorial dated August 19, 2008), the Forks EMS Director of Operations implied a 78-year-old person may not have died if Forks EMS had been dispatched to the scene. Yet, according to various online accounts of the situation, Suburban EMS arrived at the scene one minute after the Forks Police and the patient arrived at Easton Hospital ER in 28 minutes.
Our family is sadden by these events.
Some public comments are so grievous that they must be dealt with in a direct manner. The Forks EMS needs a strong leader in these troubling times and these types of comments call into question the ability of the current Forks EMS leadership team to run a professional organization.
Let me be very clear - I am a great supporter of the Forks EMS team. However, I do not endorse these types of scare tactics to settle a business dispute between the Forks EMS and the Forks Township BoS.
At the August 21, 2008 BoS meeting, this issue was discussed. The board shared some interesting factoids about the Forks EMS financial condition:
- Forks EMS still owes Suburban EMS: $14,262.50.
- Forks EMS still owes Forks Township: $1,980.81 in EIT, Local Services Tax (LST), and utilities.
- The Office of State Fire Commission informed Forks Township that Forks EMS' State loan is in serious condition. It is in jeopardy of default.
- The Express-Times is reporting Forks EMS has over $500,000 in debt.
None of this debt has been addressed by Forks EMS in the past several months. The BoS expressed a desire to have the Forks EMS leadership present a business plan to retire the current outstanding debt and create a pathway to profitability.
By a 4 to 0 vote, the board did pass a resolution to place the Forks EMS on "financial watch." The township will send a strongly worded letter to Forks EMS insisting on financial statements and a business plan (for township review) at the September 4, 2008 BoS meeting.
No one from Forks EMS was in attendance. Suburban EMS representatives were there.
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