Wakeman council votes to withdraw from ambulance service

WAKEMAN — Village council said its citizens are being short-changed and members want some answers. At its recent meeting council members voted on a resolution ordering the withdrawal of the village of Wakeman, Ohio from the Vermilion River Joint Ambulance District (VRAD) pursuant to section 505.71 of the Ohio Revised Code. It was the first of three readings. Wakeman Mayor Chris Hipp said action is being taken because residents feel they aren't getting what they are paying for. Hipp said Citizens Ambulance Service has two ambulances but staffs just one of them. When it is handling a call out of town, there is nobody to cover Wakeman in case of an emergency, Hipp said. In essence, Hipp said, the village is not getting what it is paying for. A service agreement was signed with Citizens Ambulance Service and VRAD by the village on Dec. 18, 2018. Part of the agreement reads: • VRAD hereby retains Citizens, as an independent contractor, and Citizens hereby agrees, to render the services hereinafter set fort. • Citizens shall provide an emergency medical transportation system to the VRAD on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week, every day of the year. • Citizens shall provide and maintain a 24-hour Emergency Medical Service, hereinafter, referred to as EMS, staffed by two Emergency Medical Technicians, certified by the state of Ohio, and two ambulances. Dispatching services will be covered as contracted by Citizens with the Huron County Sheriff's Office located in Norwalk, Ohio. The three-year contract runs through Dec. 31 of this year. The early termination clause of the contract states: • Either party shall have the right to terminate this agreement prior to the expiration of the term if the other party defaults in the performance of any of its obligations under this agreement and such default is not cured within 10 days after notice of such default. • Either party hereto shall have the right to terminate this agreement at any time, without cause, by giving the other party not less than 180 days notice of such termination.