BCFCA urges EMS improvements

SANDPOINT — The Bonner County Fire Chiefs Association is continuing its campaign urging Bonner County to recalibrate its approach to emergency medical services.

The association hosted a presentation on Thursday on its findings following a nine-month analysis of Bonner EMS operations, interviews with past and present EMS officials and meetings with city officials. The association is hosting follow-up presentations on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Sam Owen Fire District station and on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Priest River Community Church.

Nearly 50 people filled the Bonner County Administration Building conference on Thursday to take in a PowerPoint presentation and ask questions about EMS in Bonner County.

Mark Sauter of the fire chief’s association said a “tipping point” was reached last year, when Bonner County commissioners were considering turning over the EMS contract to a Boundary County nonprofit.

“It was really undefined how that was going to work,” Sauter said.

The county ultimately slowed its roll on reassigning the contract, but has been radio silent with the association.

“We asked to be involved, but our phones never really rang,” Sauter said.

Bonner County commissioners formed the EMS system in 2005, following the abrupt departure of Big Sky Paramedics, a private EMS provider. Since then, county commissions have kept a tight grip on the levers of EMS by deciding which agencies and fire districts it would contract with to help provide the services.

When commissioners were contemplating turning the contract over to an outside agency, Commissioner Dan McDonald stated that EMS spending was surpassing revenue.

But Sauter said budgets for the last seven years show EMS revenue eclipsed expenditures. He was still awaiting the most recent budget figures, but suspects they will show the same trend.

“It looks like the last eight years have been in the black,” Sauter said.

The fire chiefs association also drew up a series of recommendations designed to improve the efficiency of EMS in Bonner County. They include a better distribution of ambulances in the greater Sandpoint area, stationing ambulances in Careywood and Wrenco, using firefighters as a staffing resource and providing supplies and training to all providers. The group is also calling for a more inclusive stakeholder group which takes in all disciplines of public safety.

Commissioner Jeff Connolly attended Thursday’s meetings, but did not indicate what direction the board envisions for EMS. Efforts to obtain comment from Connolly on Friday were unsuccessful.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.