Life Support

chambersburg@herald-mail.com The Chambersburg Borough Council gave conditional approval this week to an emergency medical services agreement that places higher accountability on its advanced life support provider. The 3-year contract with West Shore Emergency Medical Services is a partnership between the borough, Greene, Letterkenny, Hamilton and Guilford townships. St. Thomas Township withdrew from the contract but plans to continue attending emergency services meetings.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Neighboring townships are opposed to the Borough of Chambersburg dropping out of a regional contract and establishing its own advanced life support ambulance service. During an Emergency Services Committee meeting Wednesday, township representatives said they wanted to end any speculation about whether they supported the borough, which is considering establishing its own ambulance service for critical patients. Representatives from Greene, Hamilton, Guilford and Letterkenny townships said they wanted to move ahead and sign a three-year contract with the borough and West Shore, which has provided advanced life support to the region for the last three years.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Chambersburg Borough Council president said Tuesday there is no reason that a borough that operates its own utilities can't also manage its own advanced life support ambulance service. "If we can build and operate an ambulance service of the quality of our utilities, we will truly be the envy of every community in Pennsylvania," Bill McLaughlin said. As the end of the borough's contract with West Shore ALS approaches, the council has more frequently discussed the possibility of establishing its own ALS service that would provide critical patient care.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - The Chambersburg Borough Council weighed whether it was feasible to establish its own advanced life support service for critical patient care Tuesday, uncertain whether neighboring townships would get behind the venture. Discussions on the subject first began three years ago, and while the borough considers signing a new contract with the current ALS provider - West Shore - at least one council member is pushing for the borough to begin its own service.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A proposal to raise the county's ambulance fee from $25 to $40 brought both critics and supporters to a public hearing Tuesday evening. The County Commission did not vote on the proposal after the hearing. Commission President D. Wayne Dunham said a vote will probably take place on Thursday, June 15, at the commission's weekly meeting. Opponents at the hearing objected to the $40 fee on several counts, including the percentage of the increase. They also charged that the Berkeley County Emergency Ambulance Authority could operate more efficiently and could do better in collecting delinquent fees before asking for an increase.

GREENCASTLE, Pa. - Increasing runs to the Greencastle-Antrim area are prompting Medic II, the advanced life-support unit based at Waynesboro Hospital, to staff a paramedic and emergency vehicle at the Rescue Hose Co. No. 1 firehouse, Medic II's operations chief said Thursday. Brian Mitchell said 30 percent of Medic II's calls go to the Greencastle area, 10 miles east of Waynesboro, and beyond. The unit's four emergency vehicles, staffed with 22 full- and part-time paramedics and registered nurses, respond to about 1,800 emergencies a year, all in southern Franklin County.

MARTINSBURG - Delegate Larry V. Faircloth, R-Berkeley, is considering three ideas to help emergency medical services, including a statewide beer tax. He said the tax would be a way to get alcohol consumers to help pay for rescue crews that often respond to alcohol-related crashes. Specifics of the proposal are still being worked out. Between 1 and 3 cents would probably be added to each can and bottle of beer sold in the state. Wine may be included, too, Faircloth said Monday.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - An 85-year-old Martinsburg woman was killed Friday when she was hit by a car in front of Wal-Mart, Martinsburg Police said. Nellie Zabat was hit by a 1999 Ford Escort while walking across the road near the garden center entrance of the store, which is at the Martinsburg Mall, police said. Zabat was knocked down and pinned under the car shortly after noon. Paramedics from the Martinsburg Fire Department started life support and took her to Martinsburg City Hospital.