By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com

A former LifeSupport employee is unhappy with the way the new service provider for the Central Joint Ambulance District is covering the county.

Lindsay Powers, a former employee of LifeSupport, told the district board its ambulance provider’s staffing practices leaves the county without adequate coverage. Powers spoke Wednesday night at the CJAD monthly meeting.

Powers, who had previously worked with LifeStar, took a job with LifeSupport when the company’s contract was picked up by the CJAD in December. Powers claimed that the company left the Plymouth Street Station without a working truck which made those at the station helpless if a 9-1-1 call had come in. She claimed that situation existed on two occasions – once on Dec.11, and again on Jan. 6. On both instances she said the station was without enough trucks equipped to handle 9-1-1 calls.

“I raised my concerns to Chris Kennedy about this prior to my firing, questioning the moral decision as to why this was OK to leave our county uncovered while 2 trucks took non-emergency transports,” Powers said. “I believe this is why I was terminated.”

Garry Kline addressed the CJAD and questioned why the contract with LifeSupport had been changed from the bid packet. Kline noted that the contract in question had been changed from the original agreement which called for three active ambulance trucks to two.

President Dale Sipe instructed Kline to contact the county prosecutor with any issues regarding the contract.

At the beginning of the meeting Sipe thanked former CJAD President Ron Miller for all the work that he had done for the CJAD during his tenure. Sipe noted that Miller’s work wasn’t finished with the CJAD as Miller, along with previous President Terry Leonhart, would work in conjunction with Sipe to get the LifeSupport on the same page as the CJAD.

Todd Stahl was announced as the new Holmes Township representative to the CJAD, along with Dale Garverick as the new representative from Whetstone Township.

In LifeSupport’s report to the CJAD the company received 246 9-1-1 calls for the month of December of 2014.