Published: April 04, 2007 11:37 am      

First responder program features "convoluted contract;" no action taken

Members of the emergency services committee met last week and took no action over an agreement between Cumberland County and the city of Crossville regarding the first responder program.

"It's a relatively convoluted contract and a lot of it does not meet the rules," county attorney Jim Thompson said of the contract approved by the city of Crossville.

Thompson had analyzed the agreement after being requested to review it by the county commission.

"Well, is there something major in this agreement or is it just clarifications that can be worked out between the two?" 7th District Commissioner Kenneth Carey asked.

"I can fix what needs to be done to meet the rules. It isn't just here. This is something that's happening all over the state. The city would have to approve of any changes and then the county," Thompson said.

"Is it something that we can get done within the 30 days of the good faith extension we're under now?" Carey asked.

"Yes, we should be able to," Thompson replied.

"Well, if push comes to shove we'll have to give another 30 days on the good faith extension," said 9th District Commissioner Clyde Cramer.

"We'll do anything possible to try and help work it out," said City of Crossville Fire Chief Mike Turner. "We can take the analysis and have it changed as long as we can get it worked out."

The first-responder program between the county ambulance service and the city fire department ran into some problems after a state audit revealed a one-year self-terminating contract between the two agencies was not renewed. County commissioners forgot to renew the agreement; however, the service continued between the two agencies.

Fire department personnel as first responders are dispatched when an ambulance is requested inside the city limits. In some cases they are able to reach a patient and begin stabilizing the injured or ill person before an ambulance can reach the scene.

"We all want this program to work and to keep going with it. We know it's a vital program and that it has saved lives so we will get something worked out on it," said Emergency Services Committee Chairperson Nancy Hyder.

The committee then agreed to have city attorney Kenneth Chadwell meet with Jim Thompson, Dr. Mark Fox, Cumberland County EMS Director Victor Randolph and Chief Turner in order to come up with the appropriate agreement. The agreement will then have to be approved by both the city of Crossville and the Cumberland County Commission before it can go into effect.

"If we can't get it worked out before the county commission meeting then we'll just have to approve another 30 day extension," said 2nd District Commissioner Nancy Hyder.

The group is expected to meet sometime this week to review the contract.