Call-out plan development slow

In an attempt to satisfy the request of the Western Carroll County County Ambulance District (WCCAD) board for a call-out contingency plan, Eureka Springs Fire Chief David Stoppel reported Friday on his progress at obtaining mutual aid agreements with area emergency service providers.

"I have signed agreements with Springdale and Central EMS in Fayetteville," he told the board. "I still need to contact Rogers and Bentonville, Madison County and Cox EMS in Barry County, Missouri."

He said he had faxed an agreement to St. Johns-Berryville, but it had not yet been returned.

"There are 13 ambulances total we can call on if we need to," he said of area providers.

Eureka Springs provides contracted emergency medical and ambulance service to the residents of the western district via ordinance. By contract, it is required to have two advanced life support ambulances available for callout 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

When both ambulances are busy on calls, a crew for a third ambulance is called out. Other area providers can be called upon if needed.

"In the past we have had verbal agreements, but FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Act) and everyone else are going to a 'strike team' model," Stoppel said. He said he expects the agreements and plan to be complete in the next 60 days.

Commissioner Scott Link asked about Eureka's third callout ambulance.

"I figure doing our strike team and having a plan all in one packet would take care of that when this is completed," Stoppel replied.

Link said he is "uncomfortable" with how long it is taking to rework the contract to make the callout contingency plan clear.

Several calls by Chairman Bob Grudek to Mayor Kathy Harrison of Eureka Springs, who is the only official able to sign the contract, have been unreturned over the last several months.

Other contract issues, such as billing rates vs. Medicare rates, remain to be hammered out.

Grudek said he would set an appointment with Stoppel to go over the contract.

"For the record, I'm really pushing to make sure this gets done," Link said.

The First Responder Alliance requested three base station radios to be placed at Holiday Island, Inspiration Point and Grassy Knob.

Holiday Island Fire Chief Jack Deaton said the county had changed its frequencies, and Eureka Springs dispatch cannot talk to the county sheriff's department because of the new frequencies. He said they have to take radios that will use the new frequencies and put them in vehicles on powerpacks.

Calls can be relayed between personnel in other departments, but it is a time-consuming and efficient system, he said.

Patty Tetu, chairman of the 911 Public Safety Committee, said the closing of the new 911 office is partially responsible.

"You have the problem because of the county court," she said. "The equipment for Eureka Springs was sent back to the manufacturer because there were no funds to pay for it."

She said the county has to get 911 up and running by Dec. 31 because there are no provisions for it in 2005.

"It's just a bandaid until 911 gets up," Deaton said. But he said there are other uses for such radios. He said in a disaster, services could be dispatched from a base radio.

"There are four or five frequencies being used during a disaster," he said. "We can get along without it but it would help things run more smoothly."

"You have to get together with the county because we are not going to fund 911," Link said.

He also said he did not want to fund a request to purchase carbon dioxide detectors for use on intubated patients because there is no way "to determine the difference between this being First Responder equipment and Eureka Springs Fire Department equipment."

In other business, WCCAD:

WCCAD will meet again Friday, March 12, at 2 p.m. at the Grassy Knob Fire Station on Hwy. 187 West near Beaver Dam.

HDC wants concrete out, limestone put in sidewalk

The Eureka Springs Historic District Commission (HDC) has determined that several feet of concrete sidewalk installed between 29 and 27 S. Main St. do not meet HDC guidelines and were not installed within the requirements of the Municipal Code.

Parks gives land issue to council for resolution

Members of the Eureka Springs Parks and Recreation Commission have agreed to let the city attorney and city council resolve the issues around a Green Zone encroachment and the need for a sewer easement.

Call-out plan development slow

In an attempt to satisfy the request of the Western Carroll County County Ambulance District (WCCAD) board for a call-out contingency plan, Eureka Springs Fire Chief David Stoppel reported Friday on his progress at obtaining mutual aid agreements with area emergency service providers.

HIPC grants go-ahead on one permit and stops another

Although the Holiday Island Planning Commission (HIPC) did not issue any new permits Friday, it did take action on two existing permits.