Atlas Twp.-Bruce Easton lives five minutes from Genesys Regional Medical Center in the township’s southwest corner.
His 81-year old mother-in-law lives next door to him.
‘I was working in Sterling Heights and had just left when my wife called crying that her mother was in pain and having problems,? said Easton. ‘She called 9-1-1 at the same time I was northbound on I-75 heading home. Keep in mind my trip was delayed due to lane closures between M-15 and East Holly Road so I was stuck in traffic for a while.?
‘It took me an hour to travel from Sterling Heights to Genesys and I arrived before the ambulance did,? he said. ‘My mother-in-law’s condition was not life-threatening and she was fine, but the response time is just not right.?
It’s a serious warning sign, added Easton.
‘We as a community have to deal with this problem,? he said. ‘I’ve worked for the Atlas and Groveland township fire departments in addition for the Goodrich ambulance company when it was in business, so I know that’s just not right. If you call 9-1-1 the police are here. Call 9-1-1 the fire department is here right away. But call 9-1-1 for an ambulance and who knows. Honestly, I’d support a millage in the township to have ambulance service.?
Easton is one of a growing number of residents and local officials that are irate over slow reponse times for ambulance service in the township.
Due to low call volume, Goodrich and Atlas Township are not covered by an EMS, rather, they depend on nearby private ambulance services from Grand Blanc, Davison and, until January 2015, Groveland Township in case of emergency. As a result, response times in emergency situations have been a concern for township officials for many years. Both Groveland and Brandon townships are just a few miles south of the county line and can respond in fewer minutes. However, the protocol established by Genesee County Medical Control Authority notifies an EMS stationed on Saginaw Street in Grand Blanc or the nearest ambulance that may be somewhere in the area of Goodrich or Atlas Township.
Over the past year the EMS issues with several townships has escalated, prompting the Michigan Township Association-Genesee County to pass a resolution proposing that Commission on Accreditation of Ambulance Services certification be waived for municipally owned and operated ambulance services, like Groveland and Brandon townships. The CAAS, meets the basic standards and they are more comfortable with that for Genesee County. He also said the CAAS requirement in Genesee County, not required in Oakland County, is due to the large volume of private EMS agencies located in the area and functions as oversight. Due to the costs, neither Brandon nor Groveland Township have the CAAS certification.
The GCMCA, which has statutory authority to monitor both the emergency and non-emergency agencies and incidents in Genesee County had not budged on the CAAS issue until a meeting in September. In that meeting the Genesee County Board of Commissioners approved $150,000 from the county EMS millage for the GCMCA; however, the funding was withheld until the GCMCA and the Michigan Township Association Genesee County Chapter meet to resolve the ongoing EMS response issues with Atlas Township, along with other outlying municipalities. The GCMCA budget of about $295,000 would be cut in half if the proposal was not agreed on. The GCMCA fiscal year began Oct. 1 and the two employees are paid $237,000 from that budget.
Last month the GCMCA responded with a new mutual aid proposal that would authorize non-Genesee County EMS to respond to life threatening 9-1-1 calls in Atlas Township along with other outlying communities only if an agency licensed in Genesee County is not within 15 miles or less of the call as determined by the 9-1-1 CAD system, or in the best judgment of the 9-1-1 dispatcher.
Township officials nixed the plan at the Nov. 9 meeting and passed a resolution, 5-0, requesting the GCMCA allow the closest ambulance in proximity to Atlas Township to respond even if it is an adjacent municipal agency ambulance from outside of Genesee County.
The same resolution is expected to be considered by the Goodrich Village Council.
Genesee County Commissioner Mark Young, who represents the township, called the GCMCA proposal unacceptable.
‘I really don’t see this getting resolved anytime soon,? said Young. ‘When they (GCMCA) are done playing games the money is waiting for them. They (GCMCA) are not working with the community to resolve this issue and the problem is not just limited to Atlas Township. Just look at a map of the county? 65 percent of the county is impacted by this lack of service. Keep in mind we are not mandated to fund the GCMCA. Let the hospitals fund them.?
Until the issue is resolved township residents like Easton will continue to question the safety of the community.
‘I really want to see the GCMCA dissolved,? he said. ‘I’m all in favor of a regional medical control with Lapeer or Oakland counties. I’d even support a millage here in the township to support ambulance service.?