Medic One recovering from 2013 uncertainties

Lewis County Medic One has reported they plan to end the year in the black and soon fill a vacant paramedic position after 2013 brought financial and political uncertainty to the EMS provider.

Formed through an interlocal agreement between fire districts in Winlock, Toledo, Vader and Ryderwood, the future of Medic One had been called into question back in March and April when Winlock, Vader and Ryderwood exercised their option to leave the interlocal, with district representatives citing concerns over the financial management of the program.

Contentions had revolved about a request from Medic One for member districts to contribute funding (around $46,000 total) for the remainder of the year in light of operations costs exceeding anticipated revenues. District 20 (Vader and Ryderwood) had been asked to contribute nothing due to their significantly smaller budget and District 15 (Winlock) said they felt this was inequitable, leading both to submit a notice of their intent to leave the interlocal with one year if financial management was not amended.

A compromise was achieved by July in which all member districts would pay for the expected shortfall according to the volume of services reentered to residents within the districts by Medic One. But this hurdle was followed by a further expected decline in revenue when it was announced in August Medic One would likely be unable to regularly service Morton General Hospital due to the loss of significantly-active volunteer EMTs within the area.

Medic One has since become a secondary transportation agency for Morton General and no longer receives payment from the hospital to sustain one of its nine paramedic positions (one of which has gone unfilled since last February due to ongoing uncertainties). However, it was decided during the Nov. 19 Interlocal Board meeting District 15 and District 2 (Toledo) would be willing to contribute up to $50,000 each annually between 2014 and 2016 to sustain the ninth medic’s position in the interest of continuing to provide adequate services to local residents.

Medic One Operations Chief Grant Wiltbank said, with this guarantee of funding from the districts, it is now his prerogative to fill the vacant position, though doing so depends on the terms of a union contract currently in negotiations for the coming year, adding he expects to fill the position in the early part of 2014.