Officials detail rescue squad’s response role

By Karissa Minn

kminn@salisburypost.com

Recent discussions about the Rowan County Rescue Squad have raised several questions about what the agency does, how it spends money and who it employs.

In its budget request for fiscal year 2010-11, the rescue squad asked for a funding increase from the county to continue its backup EMS service to southern Rowan.

In response, County Commissioners Carl Ford and Jon Barber met twice with county staff members to discuss the possibility of bringing the South Rowan peak-time service in-house. The group decided to continue using the rescue squad and concluded the increase was not needed.

Scrutiny of the rescue squad’s finances prompted its board of directors to invite commissioners and media to its meeting Wednesday, where board members outlined its revenues, expenses and operations.

Local residents have continued to ask questions about the agency, though, so here are answers to some of the most common ones.

• What is the role of the rescue squad, and how is it different from Rowan County Emergency Services?

“The rescue squad is under contract with the county to provide rescue services and backup EMS services,” said Rescue Squad Chief Coyt Karriker in an interview. “Our primary function is rescue.”

The squad holds 12 certifications, each for a different kind of rescue (and one for ambulance operation). If someone is stuck in a car, elevator, machine or other tight place, the squad can get the person out. High angle and air rescues also are included, as well as search and rescue operations on land and water.

Anytime a truck goes out on a backup EMS call, Karriker said, the squad does its best to staff it with a paramedic to provide service on par with the county’s. Starting in November 2009, it has provided peak-time service to the southern part of the county, reducing response times by about two minutes. (Lower than expected call volume triggered an unfulfilled request for $68,000 in increased county funds, which was later removed from the squad’s budget.)

In addition, Karriker said the rescue squad is called out any time a working fire is reported, and it may soon be required to respond to all structure fires.

• Why did the rescue squad’s county funding increase by $216,000 from fiscal year 2005-06 to fiscal year 2008-09?

The county currently budgets $412,000 for the rescue squad. That number has held flat since June 30, 2009, but in the three years prior, it increased steadily from about $196,000.

“During that time, we were the first volunteer agency to put on peak-time staffing,” Karriker said.

In fiscal year 2006-07, a county budget amendment also added $84,000 for vehicles and equipment.

Karriker said the squad’s financial records are subject to an external audit each year (currently by Rives and Associates), and the agency is required to give a detailed report to the United Way as well.

• Who works for the rescue squad and how much are they paid?

The squad has two full-time employees, 16 part-time employees and about 50 volunteers. According to Assistant Chief Eddie Cress, part-time pay is $10 per hour, plus a $10 per call fuel stipend.

Cress said Wednesday that 14 or 15 squad members are paramedics, and all the rest but one are emergency medical technicians (EMTs). In addition, many are rescue technicians (RTs) who are qualified to use special rescue equipment.

In a previous story, the Post reported that Cress’ salary was $52,000, which is the amount budgeted for the current fiscal year for “Salary/Administrative.” Cress said later in an interview, though, that his base salary for his role as director of operations — not assistant chief — is $46,580.

In the squad’s audited expense statement for fiscal year 2008-09, expenses for “Administrator salary” totaled about $52,800. This was broken down into $44,900 under “Management and General,” $2,600 under “Fund Raising” and $5,300 under “Program Services.” On the form nonprofits are required to file with the IRS, the squad also listed Cress’ compensation as $52,800.

When asked to clarify these numbers, Cress referred questions to the rescue squad’s external accountant, Cynthia Thomas. Thomas was not reachable by phone Friday.

Cress said he does not receive stipend pay.

• How much is the chief of the rescue squad paid?

Karriker said he is a volunteer member of the rescue squad and does not receive payment.

“I am a volunteer chief,” he said. “I do not collect stipend pay or get money from working standbys. No one gets a percentage of any fundraisers.”

Until five or six years ago, Karriker said, he was paid by the rescue squad. He had worked as an independent contractor with a salary of about $25,000 and brought in grant money to offset the cost.

Karriker then became an employee of the rescue squad with a salary of $30,000, but an increase in peak-time staff created the need for a full-time supervisor. Five or six years ago, he said, Cress was hired to fill that position and Karriker stepped down as an employee (but not as chief). He said was offered a part-time salary but declined it.

Karriker said he now runs a security consulting firm out of his Mooresville home. He also serves as a special deputy for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

• What kinds of vehicles does the rescue squad have, and how are they used?

According to Cress, the squad has seven ambulances and 10 rescue trucks, ranging in model year from 1982 to 2008 and in mileage from 6,000 to nearly 135,000. Seven of the rescue vehicles are designated as crash trucks, two as utility trucks and one as an air truck.

The squad also has eight boats, Cress said. These include one airboat used for a variety of rescues, one Jon boat for dragging lake bottoms, two Bass Trackers for dragging lake bottoms, two swiftwater rafts for swiftwater rescues and two V-hulls for dragging lake bottoms.

“We are a heavy rescue squad,” Cress said Wednesday. “We meet all the requirements that state of North Carolina says you have to meet and have the equipment to be heavy rescue.”

Contact Karissa Minn at 704-797-4222.

Rescue squad employees

Full-time

n Eddie Cress, Director, $46,580

n John Weddington, EMT/RT, $33,200

Part-time, $10 per hour

n Jerry Blevins, EMT/RT

n David W. Earnhardt, EMT/RT

n David H. Earnhardt, EMT/RT

n Tamara Earnhardt, Paramedic

n Howard Harkey, EMT/RT

n Heidi Hatley, Paramedic

n Jessica Karriker, Paramedic

n Crystal Linker, Paramedic

n Michael McDaniel, EMT/RT

n Timothy Moore, EMT/RT

n Chris Richardson, Paramedic

n Eric Schenk, Paramedic

n David Shute, Paramedic

n David White, Paramedic

n Justin Small, Paramedic

n Phillip York, EMT/RT

Rescue squad vehicles, mileage

Ambulances

n 1991 Ford F-350, 66,705

n 1995 Ford E-350, 79,650

n 2008 Chevrolet 4500, 9,937

n 1987 Ford E-350, 85,705

n 1995 Ford E-350, 60,557

n 1995 Ford E-350, 71,201

n 1998 Freightliner FL60, 85,072

Rescue

n 2006 Ford F-650, Utility Truck, 6,702

n 1993 Chevrolet Kodiak, Air Truck, 74,360

n 2003 Dodge 3500 Ram, Utility Truck, 134,934

n 2001 Freightliner Eagle, Crash Truck, 52,792

n 1993 Chevrolet Kodiak, Crash Truck, 31,391

n 1982 Dodge Power Ram, Crash Truck, 39,234

n 2003 Ford F-350, Crash Truck, 51,743

n 2005 Ford F-550, Crash Truck, 11,202

n 1998 Ford F-250, Crash Truck, 61,719

n 1987 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe, Crash Truck, 44,518

Staff cars

n 1999 Ford Excursion, 120,874

n 2004 Ford Crown Victoria, 187,258

Boats

n one airboat

n one johnboat

n two Bass Trackers

n two swiftwater rafts

n two V-hulls