In a review of 2015 financial reports the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Service (SCWEMS) Joint Powers Board concluded that revenue was down and at the moment costs are exceeding income.
The current deficit was attributed to a lower call volume and a lag in invoice payments by member entities Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside. Clerks for the three towns said that they pay invoices from SCWEMS as they come in and have only received the December invoice for the second quarter of 2016 recently. Encampment and Riverside town clerks said that payment from the towns have been processed and the checks have been mailed. The Saratoga town clerk said she has not seen the December invoice yet.
An announcement was made at the Jan. 13 meeting for a swiftwater rescue class to be held from April 22 to 24. Rob Streeter with the Encampment Fire Department is organizing the training. Anybody is welcome to sign up for the class.
Ambulance Director Heidi Sifford has been working on Memorandums of Understanding with Rawlins and Laramie EMS departments for Advanced Life Support intercept services. Sifford said she expects to have the MOUs finished and sent to the other departments before the end of the month.
The board decided, once again, to wait to fill the empty at-large seat on the JPB until the fate of the proposed JPB agreement amendment is decided. Currently the town of Medicine Bow is asking for changes to the amendment before they agree to it. All other SCWEMS member entities have signed the amendment. The town of Medicine Bow has sent a letter to all of the entities requesting their presence at a special meeting to discuss their concerns at 7 p.m. on Jan. 25 in the Medicine Bow Council Chambers.
Pursuant to Wyoming Statute 15-1-112 SCWEMS will follow the regulations for advertising and auctioning four ambulances that the service no longer needs. It has been determined that maintaining and stocking the ambulances are costing the service between $5,000 and $10,000 per year. Enough ambulances will be kept so that each station has a primary ambulance with a secondary ambulance to be kept in Saratoga as well as one backup for the entire service.
SCWEMS volunteers have recently conducted CPR training for local Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts as well as provided blood pressure and glucose monitoring at local senior centers.
The next regular meeting of the SCWEMS JPB is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 10 at the Elk Mountain ambulance garage.
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