EMT Association Votes to Help Fund Purchase of New Ambulance
Posted January 7, 2015 at 11:30 pm by Tim Dustrude
The San Juan Island Emergency Medical Technicians’ (EMT) Association is made up of the volunteer EMT’s and paramedics that serve San Juan Island. It is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that is independent and separate from any and all taxing districts. It is not San Juan Emergency Services, not Island Air Ambulance, not Peace Island Hospital, and not the San Juan Island Hospital District. It is made up of the people who respond to medical 911 calls, man the ambulances and who show up at your door.
In light of the EMS levy failure last November, the resulting, current budget constraints that mandate no new capital purchases for the Agency, and the realized need, the EMT Association, during its December meeting, voted to provide funds up to $80,000 towards the purchase of a new ambulance. Our primary response ambulance is 14 years old and the secondary units are even older. The aging vehicles are in need of replacement.
The funds that have been authorized by the EMT Association have come from charitable donations made to the EMT Association and primarily from a gift by the late Dodie Gann. However, a new ambulance costs in the range of $140,000 to $160,000. The EMT Association will be asking the community to help us make up the difference with a capital campaign for the purchase of this new ambulance.
If you or your organization is willing and able to help, your tax deductible donation will be very greatly appreciated. For more information please contact Karl Kuetzing, Association President via email at:
SanJuanEMTs [@] gmail [.] com.
Thank you for your support in the EMT Association’s efforts to maintain and improve the capabilities of our EMT’s as they strive to provide competent and compassionate emergency medical services.
Karl Kuetzing, President
Herb Mason, Vice President
Deanna Banry, Secretary
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Categories: Around Here
3 comments:
3 comments...
Really? Alternatively, SJI EMS leadership could just have managed their budgets more thoughtfully and focused on necessary expenses instead of massively expanding payroll. There’s still plenty of money in EMS’ budget to buy an ambulance. Just take a look at the numbers. This smells like more poorly aimed PR smoke casting by Edwards and Cole. You’ve fully expended decades of community good will in a moment, and it’s going to take new leadership, a new approach, and a genuinely humble and open engagement with the community to rebuild that trust that was so solid in the days of a simpler, less shiny EMS that fit better in a small rural community.
This article was generated by the EMT Association alone, Mr. Sanderson. I suggest you contact Mr. Kuetzing to get facts before making accusations and generating more inaccurate information.
“A state certified 501-C3, the EMT association is a charitable organization governed by its own executive officers and operates INDEPENDENTLY of San Juan EMS, San Juan Island hospital district, Island Air Ambulance and Peace Island Medical Center. The association consists of volunteer EMTs and paramedics that serve San Juan Island.”
Says the wife of Jim Cole, who holds the extremely well paid job of EMS Director for the agency. Further evidence of the way in which EMS leadership is grasping at straws and unsure of how to dig themselves out of this mess. Too bad. I think we all remember the simple, community focused EMS agency we used to have before the agency became a bit too big for its britches.
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