Kulpmont Ambulance to be dual dispatched because of significant response failures

by justin strawser (staff writer justin_s@newsitem.com)

Published: March 10, 2010

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KULPMONT - Because of a significant failure percentage in responses for the Kulpmont Ambulance, the Northumberland County Department of Public Safety has begun the practice of dual dispatch.

According to a letter to the borough council provided by administrative secretary Rhonda Wilk Tuesday night, the Department of Public Safety conducted a study and found that the Kulpmont Ambulance was failing to respond 63.5 percent of the time.

The numbers are based on 383 dispatches for the year 2009 with responses to 140 of those incidents.

The department has begun to simultaneously dispatch an additional basic life support (BLS) unit to all BLS emergencies for where the Kulpmont volunteer ambulance organization is requested.

This practice of dual dispatch, according to the letter, is currently being utilized in Zerbe Township and Little Mahonoy Township.

If the Kulpmont's service improve to less than 40 percent by the end of the year, the Deapartment would be willing to remove the dual dispatch.

In other business:

- The council hired Procopio and Associates, of Shamokin, for $5,000 in grant writing assistance for the remainder the year. Their first order of business will be pursuing a grant for a police bulletproof vest. The deadline for this grant is March 31.

- The council also went into executive session for 45 minutes to discuss litigation issues.

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