By Andrew Harp
The Evening News and the Tribune
JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. — An amendment was approved by the Clark County Commissioners at their meeting Thursday to station more ambulances in the county.
Three more ambulances have been added to the already four operating units provided by Muncie-based Heartland Ambulance Service, making it a total of seven for Clark County.
The original agreement with Heartland included four 24/7 ambulance units, costing $130,000 the first month, $110,000 for the second month and $130,000 the third month.
The agreement now states that it will cost $230,000 a month, which is about $7,419 per day, for the seven ambulances.
Clark County Emergency Management Director Gavin Hebner, however, said that these three ambulances were put in operation on Sunday since New Chapel EMS and their service has been “fluctuating.”
He said the company was supposed to provide two ambulances over the course of the 90 days, but said there were instances where they didn’t have them.
“We were just unsure of where New Chapel was with staffing,” he said.
Hebner originally presented to the commissioners on Aug. 1 and recommended they approve a 90-day agreement with Heartland, which they did.
This solution was presented after it was determined that New Chapel EMS would not be able to fulfill the terms of its contract with the county after it lost staff members due to losing its contract in May with Floyd County.
After the Utica Township Fire Protection District Board nullified its contract with New Chapel, Hebner said this caused an effect considering the company announced later that they would stop EMS services in the county by Sept. 1.
Former New Chapel EMS CEO Jamey Noel was arrested in November and has now pled guilty to 27 felonies. This has led to those contracted with New Chapel to scrutinize and then rescind their agreements with the company.
Hebner said that the EMS subcommittee will continue to discuss mid and long-term solutions to EMS in Clark County, and said that it will most likely come to a decision on something midterm before the end of Heartland’s agreement Oct. 31.
“It’s a total difference from what we were used to...the transparency, the communication,” Hebner said about working with Heartland.
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