GRANT BOOSTS CAMERON COUNTY AMBULANCE

A $10,000 state grant will help Cameron County Ambulance Service (CCAS) purchase equipment needed to upgrade one of the service's ambulance units.

Last April, CCAS voted to upgrade its operations from Basic Life Support to Advanced Life Support, or the paramedic level of service. Prior to the upgrade, CCAS relied on an outside entity to provide advanced care, but that system often resulted in a 20-30 minute delay in providing advanced care to patients in need.

CCAS upgraded its operating license and obtained the necessary equipment to upgrade two of its three units as ALS Mobile Care ambulances last year. They are now working to upgrade the third unit, and the grant will be used to support that.

"We have been able to cut ALS response times by 20 minutes countywide," said Bill Pennington, CCAS manager. "We have had at least one documented instance where the immediate advance life support care at the scene saved that person's life."

Pennington noted that people often think ambulance services are part of the fire department and are supported by taxes, but that is not the case for CCAS. In fact, less than one-third of ambulance companies nationwide are fire-service based and even fewer are taxpayer supported.

"For ambulance services, it's a never-ending struggle to make ends meet," he said. "As reimbursement rates from insurance companies and government health care programs decline, we will have to rely on more non-traditional funding sources like this grant program to fund future equipment purchases and upgrades."

The grant was awarded through the Pa. Dept. of Community and Economic Development.

CCAS covers the Emporium Borough as well as Shippen, Lumber and Portage townships. An intercept service is provided for Sinnemahoning Volunteer Ambulance.

Two full-time paramedics ensures that a professional is available at all times of the day. Assisting them is a roster of over 30 people, some on staff and others as volunteers.

ALS personnel are joined by a staff of emergency medical technicians, who provide basic life support. Paramedics can operate heart monitors, administer intravenous treatment and dispense medication.

Prior to starting its ALS service, Cameron County Ambulance Service was covered by medics from Ridgway, St. Marys or Coudersport.

Anyone requiring emergency medical care can dial the Elk County Dispatch Center at 9-1-1. Local operations are coordinated with Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport and Elk Regional Health Center in St. Marys, among others.