Friday, September 21, 2018

Emergency Medical Service Tax Levy to be Voted on in November

Submitted by Greenville Township Emergency Services

On November 6th the Greenville Township Trustees will be asking the voters to approve 1.95 mil / 5 year additional tax levy in support of the Emergency Medical Service. In 2001 residents voted to combine and replace 2 existing levies but this current levy represents the first time since 1990 that the trustees have asked the voters to approve additional millage despite tremendous increases in call volume and expenses.

Over the past 28 years request for 9-1-1 EMS has increased along with the cost of the equipment we must utilize. Our 9-1-1 call volume has risen from 1,511 in 1990 to 3,322 in 2017, a 120% increase. The cost of an ambulance has gone from $52,000 to $163,000 in 2015. A Cardiac Monitor has increased in cost from $6,500 to over $35,000 today. As everyone knows a gallon of fuel has increased from approximately $1.15 per gallon in 1990 to $2.97 per gallon today. With a decrease in the number of volunteer EMTs and Paramedics over the years we have had to rely on paid personnel more and more to handle the demands not only of the call volume but also the ever increasing training requirements.

Over the years Greenville Township has instituted different initiatives to help control or offset cost. We compare prices of everyday items on a regular basis and we use state purchasing programs for larger equipment or use Grants to help offset cost. Greenville Township is a member of the Greater Miami Valley Emergency Medical Services Council. This council not only develops and administrates the regional protocol, it coordinates testing and allows the regional EMS organizations to obtain the medications required to operate at a very small fraction of the cost.

In 2005, we began billing the insurance providers of the people we transport to stretch the tax monies we receive even further. What this means is that if we transport a resident of Greenville / Greenville Township to the hospital, we will process a claim through their insurance company and accept the insurance payment as payment in full. Patients that do not reside in our service area will receive a bill for service. This program has gone a long way in helping Greenville Township avoid turning to the tax payers for additional revenues but the money generated by billing has stagnated as health insurance changes and deductibles increase. Unfortunately our operating cost has continued to rise and we are left with no other choice but to ask the residents to support an additional tax after 28 years.

Beyond answering over 3,300 calls for service Greenville Township’s EMS provides many other services to the community. The first Saturday of each month an open enrollment CPR class is held at the station. This provides anyone in the community an opportunity to learn CPR. We currently have 4 Car Seat Installation Technicians on staff. These technicians will properly install your child’s car seat in your vehicle and explain the proper size and use of the seat. If you qualify, the technicians can guide you through the process of obtaining a free car seat donated by a local manufacturer. Greenville Township provides Stand-by service for many organizations and events every year. Multiple Greenville City School athletic events such as football, Boys & Girls Soccer and Basketball, The Treaty City Cross Country Race, YOLO Races, various other 5Ks, The Holiday Horse Parade, The Gathering at the Garst, Downtown Car Show, to list a few.

In 2008 and 2018 Greenville Township EMS was awarded the State of Ohio EMS Star of Life. In both incidents we were nominated by a regional hospital. The first nomination was submitted by Children’s Medical Center and most recently we were nominated by Miami Valley Hospital / Care Flight. It was an honor to win the awards and to be recognized by your peers in this region but what is truly satisfying is providing quality care to the people of our community.

Greenville Township wants to assure that we are providing a good service to the residents and the best way to determine this is through Patient Satisfaction Surveys. These surveys are distributed each month to a random number of people with which we have interacted or treated in the previous month. The survey results show that over 98.3% of those surveyed rate Greenville Township EMS Excellent or Above Average. We are extremely pleased that our patients and their families are so satisfied with the service we have provided.

Times have changed. Technology, Procedures and medicine definitely have changed but compassion and quality service is timeless. Please allow us to continue to provide the top quality care that you deserve by Voting Yes for the Greenville Township Emergency Medical Service Levy on November 6th.

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