By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
Township Council is considering hiring its own emergency medical technicians and ending its arrangement with Capital Health Systems to provide overnight and weekend emergency medical care.
The council spent about a half-hour discussing its options Tuesday night, and agreed to hold a special meeting April 16 to gather public input before making a final decision. The meeting would start at 7 p.m. at the Municipal Building.
Lawrence Township has four EMTs on staff who provide coverage from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. The township has a contract with CHS, which expires May 31, that calls for the hospital system to provide an ambulance and EMTs from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays, and around-the-clock coverage on weekends.
Between April 1 and Dec. 31, 2008, the township EMTs and CHS EMTs responded to 1,463 ambulance calls all but 100 of which were for Lawrence residents, according to a report prepared by Chief of Police Daniel Posluszny and Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun. The report was handed out to Township Council on Tuesday night.
In that report, Township Council learned that it cost $696,623 to provide emergency medical help under the current set-up including the $225,000 contract fee with CHS. Revenue from the fees generated $396,606. This means it cost township taxpayers $300,017 to provide the service.
But if the township opted for its own emergency medical technicians, it would cost taxpayers about $91,824 after collecting estimated fees of $793,212, said Mr. Krawczun. The township would have to double the staff from four EMTs to eight EMTs, plus a supervisor to provide around-the-clock coverage seven days a week. But there would be a savings of $208,192.
When Councilman Greg Puliti asked if there would be some startup costs if the township hired its own EMTs, Mr. Krawczun replied that the township would have to purchase a second ambulance. The township also would have to find a location to base the EMS crews and ambulance.
”We run it out of the Police Department (building) now daytime,” Mr. Krawczun said. “There is a small office, and it works right now. But we would need a (separate) facility (if there is an expansion of the service).”
Councilmen Bob Bostock and Rick Miller suggested it may be possible to use the former Lawrence Township First Aid and Rescue Squad building on Pilla Avenue, next to the Lawrence Road Fire Company. The building belongs to the former squad.
Reflecting on the report, Councilman Michael Powers said the system works now, but “past performance is no guarantee” of future performance. There is a fork in the road to continue the current system or for the township to hire more EMTs, he said.
Councilman Greg Puliti said Lawrence needs to be in control of its own destiny. He said he was concerned that if there is a catastrophe elsewhere in Mercer County, CHS might have to divert all of its ambulances to that site.
”Police and fire(fighters) rely on the ambulances,” Mr. Puliti said. He added that CHS emergency responders likely would not be as familiar with Lawrence as the township’s own EMTs.
Mr. Miller agreed that the township’s own EMTs would know “the lay of the land.” There would be greater continuity because it would be the same EMTs, he said, adding that it would also enable the township to “keep the level of service we all expect.”

