KCH To Become Syracuse EMS Affiliate
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Syracuse Emergency Medical Service has changed its affiliation from Goshen General Hospital to Kosciusko Community Hospital.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott told the town council Tuesday that the decision for the change in affiliation was made because of more aggressive protocols that the KCH emergency room has adopted. According to Scott, these protocols govern what extent of care can be given to an emergency patient by the EMS officers before arrival at the emergency room.
Under more conservative protocols, the EMS officers must contact the emergency room director before applying such measures as rapid sequence integration, a respiratory aid to patients with closed head injuries. The more aggressive protocols of KCH allow EMS officers to apply these and other measures without first contacting the director.
Syracuse town council president Barbara Carwile expressed concern that patients would now be taken to KCH against their will. Scott explained that patients still will be asked which hospital they prefer to be taken to and that, under state law, patients in critical condition must be taken to the closest hospital, which, from Syracuse, is Goshen General Hospital.
In other business:
• The council voted unanimously to repeal the town's sign ordinance, 01-22. An ordinance to provide penalties for failure to comply with 01-22 was offered at a special meeting May 13. Instead of adopting the new ordinance, the council decided that Syracuse will act in accordance with county and state sign regulations.
• A special meeting was scheduled after town manager Brian Redshaw advised the council that Syracuse is required to sign an agreement with Kosciusko County Emergency Management Advisory Council to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Advisory grants. Such grants would be offered to the town in the occurrence of a wide-scale natural or other disaster. The town also must appoint a representative to the council. The agreement must be signed by July 1. The meeting is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. June 24.
• The council voted unanimously to waive the fee for garage sale permits during Sidewalk Days on Aug. 7, 8 and 9.
• Redshaw presented the city's mowing charges, which the council voted unanimously to adopt.
Some council members were worried that the charges were too low. "My concern is that we don't become the mowing service for the town. That's not our job," councilwoman Carol Koble said.
Councilman Larry Siegel said, "I don't think it's enough." Public works project manager Clint Houseworth said the charges definitely cover the town's mowing costs.
• Town marshal Tom Perzanowski informed the council that he has applied for a Federal Homeland Security grant for Syracuse. Perzanowski said the town is eligible for $25,000 in federal aid but would be required to match 25 percent of the grant money received. The grant money, he said, would be used to help pay overtime for police officers working security at emergency inoculation centers in the event of a smallpox or other virus outbreak.
• The town council unanimously approved the purchase of a police car for $1,500. The car will replace a damaged 1996 Ford Crown Victoria currently owned by the town. Perzanowski said the alternative to purchasing the used car was to put a used engine with 160,000 miles on it into the damaged car. According to Perzanowski, the car to be purchased is a 1994 Ford Crown Victoria with 106,000 miles on it. He said the car is in good condition and will be paid for out of the police department's maintenance budget.
• The majority of the council voted for the purchase of two IV infusion pumps for the Syracuse EMS for $900 each. Koble abstained and Carwile voted against the purchase.
• Scott informed the council of a plan to purchase three new storm sirens for the Syracuse and Turkey Creek Township areas. The sirens cost $15,000 each and would be used to warn the community in the event of severe storms and terrorist attacks. Syracuse currently has one storm siren.
• The council voted unanimously to buy a new pressure washer for the town's wastewater facility at a cost of $1,564.96. Houseworth said the new washer will reduce labor costs by reducing the time required for cleaning at the facility.
• A budget workshop meeting is scheduled for July 21 at 6 p.m. A second meeting will be held July 23 at 6 p.m. if necessary.
• The council set a guideline for pay raises for town employees, including dispatchers and crossing guards, at 3 percent.
• The council unanimously approved transfering $1,900 from Syracuse Police Department's compensation fund to its insurance fund. According to first deputy clerk Julie Kline, the transfer is necessary due to increased insurance premiums.
• Councilman William Hane suggested the council consider spraying the Syracuse area for mosquitoes to protect against West Nile virus.
• A public hearing on the Water Treatment and Storage Facilities Preliminary Engineering Report is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]
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SYRACUSE - Syracuse Emergency Medical Service has changed its affiliation from Goshen General Hospital to Kosciusko Community Hospital.
Fire Chief Mickey Scott told the town council Tuesday that the decision for the change in affiliation was made because of more aggressive protocols that the KCH emergency room has adopted. According to Scott, these protocols govern what extent of care can be given to an emergency patient by the EMS officers before arrival at the emergency room.
Under more conservative protocols, the EMS officers must contact the emergency room director before applying such measures as rapid sequence integration, a respiratory aid to patients with closed head injuries. The more aggressive protocols of KCH allow EMS officers to apply these and other measures without first contacting the director.
Syracuse town council president Barbara Carwile expressed concern that patients would now be taken to KCH against their will. Scott explained that patients still will be asked which hospital they prefer to be taken to and that, under state law, patients in critical condition must be taken to the closest hospital, which, from Syracuse, is Goshen General Hospital.
In other business:
• The council voted unanimously to repeal the town's sign ordinance, 01-22. An ordinance to provide penalties for failure to comply with 01-22 was offered at a special meeting May 13. Instead of adopting the new ordinance, the council decided that Syracuse will act in accordance with county and state sign regulations.
• A special meeting was scheduled after town manager Brian Redshaw advised the council that Syracuse is required to sign an agreement with Kosciusko County Emergency Management Advisory Council to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Advisory grants. Such grants would be offered to the town in the occurrence of a wide-scale natural or other disaster. The town also must appoint a representative to the council. The agreement must be signed by July 1. The meeting is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. June 24.
• The council voted unanimously to waive the fee for garage sale permits during Sidewalk Days on Aug. 7, 8 and 9.
• Redshaw presented the city's mowing charges, which the council voted unanimously to adopt.
Some council members were worried that the charges were too low. "My concern is that we don't become the mowing service for the town. That's not our job," councilwoman Carol Koble said.
Councilman Larry Siegel said, "I don't think it's enough." Public works project manager Clint Houseworth said the charges definitely cover the town's mowing costs.
• Town marshal Tom Perzanowski informed the council that he has applied for a Federal Homeland Security grant for Syracuse. Perzanowski said the town is eligible for $25,000 in federal aid but would be required to match 25 percent of the grant money received. The grant money, he said, would be used to help pay overtime for police officers working security at emergency inoculation centers in the event of a smallpox or other virus outbreak.
• The town council unanimously approved the purchase of a police car for $1,500. The car will replace a damaged 1996 Ford Crown Victoria currently owned by the town. Perzanowski said the alternative to purchasing the used car was to put a used engine with 160,000 miles on it into the damaged car. According to Perzanowski, the car to be purchased is a 1994 Ford Crown Victoria with 106,000 miles on it. He said the car is in good condition and will be paid for out of the police department's maintenance budget.
• The majority of the council voted for the purchase of two IV infusion pumps for the Syracuse EMS for $900 each. Koble abstained and Carwile voted against the purchase.
• Scott informed the council of a plan to purchase three new storm sirens for the Syracuse and Turkey Creek Township areas. The sirens cost $15,000 each and would be used to warn the community in the event of severe storms and terrorist attacks. Syracuse currently has one storm siren.
• The council voted unanimously to buy a new pressure washer for the town's wastewater facility at a cost of $1,564.96. Houseworth said the new washer will reduce labor costs by reducing the time required for cleaning at the facility.
• A budget workshop meeting is scheduled for July 21 at 6 p.m. A second meeting will be held July 23 at 6 p.m. if necessary.
• The council set a guideline for pay raises for town employees, including dispatchers and crossing guards, at 3 percent.
• The council unanimously approved transfering $1,900 from Syracuse Police Department's compensation fund to its insurance fund. According to first deputy clerk Julie Kline, the transfer is necessary due to increased insurance premiums.
• Councilman William Hane suggested the council consider spraying the Syracuse area for mosquitoes to protect against West Nile virus.
• A public hearing on the Water Treatment and Storage Facilities Preliminary Engineering Report is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]