A slight change in a Rowan County contract with the Rescue Squad has cooled off a flare up
between the squad and some fire departments across the county.County officials met with fire and rescue
officials Monday afternoon and agreed to change one word in the new contract.
Instead of the Rescue Squad being
designated as the “sole” provider of rescue services, it will be the
“primary” provider.
In September, Rowan County
Commissioners adopted a new contract with the squad, which was intended to state the
existing relationship.
County Manager Tim Russell said he
wrote the contract, and it was never intended to infringe on the fire department’s
authority to provide rescue service.
The contract was intended to
replace a more than 20-year-old contract between the county and the squad. No one has been
able to find a copy of that contract.
Chairman Newton Cohen and
Commissioner Arnold Chamberlain met with fire representatives and Coyt Karriker, head of
the Rescue Squad. Others attending, in addition to Russell, were Emergency Services
Director Wayne Ashworth, Eric Bonds of the Locke Fire Department, Mike Zimmerman,
president of the Rowan County Fire and Rescue Association and Tony Corrhier, a fire and
rescue equipment dealer of Landis.
Russell said it took about three
minutes to make the change and alleviate concerns.
Russell also emphasized that the
contract did not affect municipal jurisdictions. “It has no impact whatsoever in the
the city limits.”
Zimmerman said he had heard
concerns during the past several days from some of the fire departments about the
contract. Some firemen objected to the squad being designated as the “sole”
provider and wording related to “delegated authority.”
Zimmerman said that with the
change, everything continues as it has. Fire departments that arrive at a wreck scene can
proceed with helping the victims.
Zimmerman said that while most
departments have some basic tools, very few have heavy duty cutters and equipment needed
in major accidents.
China Grove, Landis, Enochville,
Rockwell Rural and Salisbury are the departments with substantial rescue equipment,
according to Zimmerman.
Both Russell and Zimmerman
acknowledged that the flare up over the wording came in part because of the ongoing turf
war between the fire departments ant the rescue squad.
“Everybody feels like they
should provide rescue services,” said Russell.
Karriker said he doesn’t see
any turf war and “never for a moment” thought the squad was the sole provider of
rescue services. He said the concerns came about as a misunderstanding over the intent of
the contract.
Karriker said the squad works with
the fire departments, citing joint ventures with three departments to provide light rescue
coverage in their districts.
The amended contract is expected
to be presented to the county commissioners next week. In the meantime Russell said the
squad and the fire departments will continue doing what they have been in the past,
providing the best services possible.
Early next year county
commissioners plan to meet with representatives of the Rescue Squad and others to discuss
increased funding for peak time staffing and other needs. With new state standards on the
horizon, Russell said it will take substantial funding for equipment and training to
achieve the standards. “We want to have a dialogue with the fire departments, the
squad and the public on what level of service we provide and how we provide it,” said
Russell. |
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