SIX - Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, December 7 , 2022
AN OPEN LETTER TO MORROW COUNTY RESIDENTS
The ambulance services
you rely on may be at risk.
11/29/22
Over the past several months, Morrow
County
Health
District
An Open
Letter to Morrow
County
Residents: (MCHD) has been
largely silent about the conflict around
EMS services due to our ongoing participation
Over the past several months, the Morrow County Health District has been largely silent about the conflict aroun
services
due to the aware
District’s that
ongoing mediation
participation in efforts
mediation had
efforts. Recently, the District became awa
in mediation efforts. Recently, MCHD
became
mediation efforts had stalled out and determined it was time to provide additional important information to the p
stalled out and determined it was time to provide additional important information
For more than 30 years, the District has provided ambulance service to the entire county as one ambulance servic
to the public.
We do this because it allows the District to receive enhanced federal funding when the ambulance service is asso
with our critical access hospital. This enhanced funding is key because the District heavily subsidizes EMS service
For more than 30 years, MCHD has provided communities.
ambulance
service
the entire
county
as one
ambulance
Currently,
the to
District
has seven
ambulances
in service
– two in Boardman, two in Irrigon, one in Io
two
in
Heppner.
service area. We do this because it allows us to receive enhanced federal funding when the ambulance
service is associated with our critical access
hospital.
This enhanced
funding
is key
because
In 2021,
the District’s
board approved
a new staffing
model
for EMS MCHD
in which each dispatching location (Boardman,
and Heppner)
is staffed by MCHD
two EMS has
personnel
at all
times working in
12-hour
shifts. – This plan was approved with a
heavily subsidizes EMS services in all communities.
Currently,
seven
ambulances
service
year phase-in. Boardman went live in 2021, Irrigon in 2022 and Heppner is slated for 2023. This model has already re
two in Boardman, two in Irrigon, one in Ione
and two in Heppner.
in improved response times in Boardman as shown below:
BOARDMAN
PROVEN RESULTS
In 2021, MCHD’s board approved a
new staffing model for EMS in which
each dispatching location (Boardman,
Irrigon and Heppner) is staffed by two
EMS personnel at all times working
12-hour shifts. This plan was approved
with a three-year phase-in. Boardman
went live in 2021, Irrigon in 2022 and
Heppner is slated for 2023. This model
has already resulted in improved
response times in Boardman as shown
in this chart.
899 (First Out Ambulance)
2022
898 (Second Out Ambulance)
Dispatch to
En Route
Response
Time
Number of
Runs
Dispatch to
En Route
Response
Time
Number of
Runs
January
1.0
5.1
51
0.5
6.5
2
February
1.2
5.0
48
5.2
7.0
2
March
1.0
4.7
46
0.1
3.1
1
April
1.0
3.8
34
0.5
3.7
10
May
0.6
4.0
46
0.0
0.0
1
June
0.6
3.7
38
1.1
2.7
8
July
0.9
5.0
48
1.0
5.0
4
August
0.5
2.7
7
0.5
3.8
31
-
-
0
0.8
5.2
49
0.5
2.4
25
0.3
4.0
17
September
October
The licensing of a competing ambulance service in Boardman will jeopardize the current levels of service provide
The licensing of a competing ambulance service
in Boardman will jeopardize the current levels of
cities in Morrow County, including Irrigon, Boardman, Heppner, Lexington and Ione. A competing service in Boa
service provided in all cities in Morrow County,
including
Irrigon,
Boardman,
Heppner,
Lexington
and
will eliminate
the District’s
eligibility
for enhanced
federal funding
across the
District’s entire ambulance service (n
in
Boardman).
Given
the
high
rate
at
which
the
District
currently
subsidizes
EMS services (approximately $550,0
Ione. A competing service in Boardman will eliminate MCHD’s eligibility for enhanced federal funding
fully staffed location), a decrease in funding puts existing services in serious peril in all locations.
across our entire ambulance service area (not just in Boardman). Given the high rate at which MCHD
currently subsidizes EMS services (approximately $550,000 per fully staffed location), a decrease in
funding puts existing services in serious peril in all locations.
A CORE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE
With the high rates of subsidy, one might wonder why MCHD wishes to retain EMS services across the
entire county. EMS services have long been a core part of MCHD’s mission to serve the county. Most
ambulance providers will not bid to provide services in a region in which they expect to take a loss.
Because no other entities are eligible for enhanced federal funding, other entities cannot provide this
service in a more cost-effective manner than MCHD. As a public entity, MCHD considers this a core
public safety service, which must be preserved even when that requires a significant subsidy.
MCHD does not oppose the addition of more resources to support EMS anywhere in the county. If
another ambulance provider can work in tandem with MCHD to supplement services, we would
welcome that. Any such arrangement must safeguard MCHD’s current funding, which is necessary to
sustain EMS across the entire county. The best way forward if another ambulance provider wishes
to operate in Morrow County is through a contract with MCHD. We are open to considering all such
contracts that are in the best interests of the public.
For the past two years, MCHD has attempted to partner with Boardman Fire Rescue District to find a
mutually agreeable solution to incorporate BFRD into the ambulance service system in Morrow County.
At this point, we feel EMS services across the county are in jeopardy if we cannot reach an agreement
that does not eliminate MCHD’s federal funding.
YOUR SUPPORT IS NEEDED
We call on all Morrow County residents to support MCHD to
preserve and enhance critical ambulance services. All residents
in Morrow County have the right to high-quality ambulance
services. Please consider contacting your local representatives,
be that County Commissioners or elected board members, and
encourage them to support MCHD and our efforts to provide
ambulance services to everyone in Morrow County. This issue
is too important to ignore.
Sincerely,
Emily Roberts
Chief Executive Officer
Morrow County Health District
MCHD EMS: Saving lives and serving the community in Morrow County. Find out more at HealthyMC.org.