Clarksfield Township has its say in ambulance saga

WAKEMAN — The war of words continues in the Vermilion River Ambulance District saga. Earlier this month Wakeman Village Council voted on a resolution ordering the withdrawal of the village of Wakeman, Ohio from the Vermilion River 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 at the time action is being taken because residents feel they aren't getting what they are paying for. Hipp said at the time 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. "Staffing an additional truck during peak hours will give our communities expanded access to our paramedics and EMTs," Lucas Palm, EMS coordinator for Citizens Ambulance Service, said in response to council's claims. "Over the past five years, Citizens Ambulance Service has seen a 12 percent increase in overall call volume. Year after year we continue to see our numbers increase," Palm said. "With the steady increase in call volume, we are noticing many of our requests for EMS occur simultaneously. "In the past Citizens Ambulance has either relied on our local EMTs and paramedics to respond from home or on the mutual aid agreements we hold with surrounding departments to handle additional calls," Palm continued. "This will continue to be a key strategy for our success in the future, however, every community around us has been reporting similar increases in demand. This year in the midst of a global pandemic the timing felt right to staff and additional ambulance. "We will continue to maintain around-the-clock staffing of our primary unit 'Medic 1' at our Wakeman station. In March we began staffing 'Medic 2' during the peak hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and in April this coverage will increase to 12 hours as we review utilization trends." Hipp responded to that. "You need to work with the community and put something together with these fire chiefs," he said. "A lot of things need to be taken care of. We are not against Citizens Ambulance Service. We want the best for this community. Even if it goes through three readings we will still get the best service we can. Citizens Ambulance Service is still going to come to help the citizens of Wakeman whether we are in that contract or not. They have the duty to respond. "We put our foot down. Clarksfield, you need to pay. Hartland, you need to pay. Just until a few years ago Clarksfield never paid anything. Vermilion and Clarksfield have to get this figured out so we are not involved in a legal battle. "A second squad is one of the issues. Second squad is great, but they are not working with us. This is a long time overdue and I just hope they can get something legally binding with all of the townships. If we stay with them fine, then if not we want to continue in a good contract for this community to work with VRAD and Citizens," Hipp said. "If there is any way, shape or form if an ambulance is needed we will have one. That is not the issue here ... it's time to get the paperwork done properly." Clarksfield Township said it is paying its fair share, providing this list supplied by the Ohio Uniform Accounting Network. Here is the township's payments to Citizens Ambulance Service: • 2020 — $16,000. • 2019 — $15,416.67. • 2018 — $15,000. • 2017 — $6,250. • 2016 — No contract with Citizens. • 2015 — $6,000. • 2014 — No billing received from Citizens. "They are paying Citizens directly and we don't think that is fair," Hipp said in response Monday, adding he never said Clarksfield isn't paying anything at all. "We are not going to continue with this contract because I don't think it is legal. They should be paying Vermilion River Ambulance District. They should be paying for it (to VRAD) though a levy. "I think they are afraid they won't pass a levy, but I think we have good people in this community who will support a levy. "Wakeman council put their foot down and said 'you need to pay.' At this time half of Hartland (Township) pays North Central and the other half doesn't pay anything."