County Board Retains Private Counsel to Handle Suit by Altamont Ambulance

(EFFINGHAM COUNTY CORONER DUANE GUFFEY HAS THE ARM OF AMBULANCE EMPLOYEE JARROD ESTES WHILE TALKING FOLLOWING THURSDAY NIGHT'S HEARING AT THE EFFINGHAM COUNTY OFFICE BUILDING. BOTH TESTIFIED AT THE HEARING)

During a special Thursday night meeting, the Effingham County Board retained local attorney Chris Koester to represent the County in a legal action brought by Altamont Ambulance Service.

Altamont Ambulance filed the action December 5, asking the Court to enjoin the County from moving ahead with proposed plans to open non-emergency transfers to other ambulance services. In the meantime, the ambulance service was granted a temporary restraining order until the facts of the case can be presented to the Court. A hearing is set for December 29 to consider Altamont Ambulance's request for a preliminary injunction against the County.

A letter sent to Altamont Ambulance citing a number of items that the County considers violations of the contract by Altamont Ambulance.

Also Thursday, in conjunction with the special Board meeting, the Board's Ambulance Oversight Committee held a special meeting to receive input from the public regarding Altamont Ambulance's operation. During an opening statement and at the conclusion of the hearing, Committee Chairman Mike DePoister stressed that the committee is appreciative of the job done by the employees of the ambulance service, and has no personal animosity toward the operator of the ambulance service, Terry White, but has concerns regarding some of the equipment utilized by the service and a reported lack of training afforded the employees.

All of the comments heard from the public were favorable toward the employees of the ambulance service, with one exception. One resident said her son was not securely fastened while being taken for treatment during two transports. 

County Coroner Duane Guffey voiced concerns over the radio dispatching equipment and its lack of range. Guffey also suggested that ambulance crews report in when they begin a tour of duty and their locations so other emergency service agencies know where they're located, which could assist with estimating arrival time to a call.

Others voiced concerns over the County's proposed use of other ambulance services for transfers. The concerns were that transfers are the "bread and butter" of an ambulance service and that if the County's emergency ambulance provider has to share transfer calls, it would hamper the service economically.

Terry White was not in attendance at Thursday's meeting.