Pulaski County EMS looking to staff third truck full time

Pulaski County EMS Director Nikki Lowry is looking to staff a third truck full time and she would like the permission of the commissioners.
During a commissioners’ meeting on Jan. 17, Lowry said the third truck is currently part-time. When a third truck is available, EMS staff can transport patients, bringing in extra revenue for the department.
Lowry broke down the number of transfers, the level of care needed for those transfers such as advanced life support service (ALS), and how many transfers are refused because a truck is not available.
In 2016, there were more than 1,600 calls compared to 2015 when there were 1,504 calls.
Lowry is concerned that if there is not a third truck then the number of denied transfers may increase. She is not sure what kind of liability it creates when only one truck is available in the county because the other is on a transport run. Lowry said the third truck would be staffed with part-time employees.
Lowry believes there is enough funding in the part-time line budget to handle an increase in hours for the third ambulance. She will first see how many people are interested in staffing a third truck. If there is not enough interest then the truck may only be staffed two full days instead of the whole week.
In regards to the ambulances, Lowry said the commissioners will want to address the bay area which is too small for the current trucks. Because the trucks are longer and wider, the current garage doors are also too small.