The Bond County Special Service District (SSD) met Tuesday and announced plans to form an Ambulance Committee to address concerns expressed at a previous Bond County Board meeting regarding ambulance service.
County board members also make up the SSD board.
At the county board meeting earlier this month, Dr. Mike Bond, an emergency room doctor at Holy Family Hospital, and five of his colleagues, expresses concerns about the reliability of emergency medical services. They noted delays in getting an ambulance to transfer patients from the hospital have direct implications in patient safety.
Bond suggested a local group be formed to address the issue.
At Tuesday’s meeting, SSD Board Chairman Chris Timmermann indicated a committee would be formed. Attending the meeting were two representatives from the RuralMed ambulance service, the district’s emergency services provider. Timmermann reported that unfortunately no one from the hospital was able to attend.
The board chair advised Wes Pourchot will represent the county board, Allan Davis from Bond County 9-1-1 will be on the committee, as will Sheriff Josh Hill.
According to Chairman Timmermann, Dr. Bond and possibly a couple of more people from the hospital will be on it. Kim Bouser from RuralMed stated she would like to be in the group.
There was no discussion about how large the committee would be. There was a suggestion to consider representatives from fire districts.
At the August 11 meeting, Bouser said the issue not only affects Bond County, but others in the state, as there is the need for more ambulances, funding, and people wanting to work in emergency medical services.
