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Show Committee to examine alternative paramedic programs for county the present service said Commissioner Commis-sioner Robert Rose. "It's merely a study t" see if it is the most effec tive way to distribute that service." There is a variety of methods used to provide paramedic services Bv SCOTT SUMMERILL FARMINGTON The Davis County Commission appointed a three-member committee Aug. 22 to study the county's paramedic service to determine if the current program administered by the Sheriffs department is the best use of funds, or if an alternative method of management would be able to provide the service more economically. Named to the Paramedic Program Pro-gram Study Committee were Lee Scott Steorts of Bountiful, Randy Harris of Layton and Janet Harris of Centerville. The committee will examine the services, standards, cost and effectiveness effec-tiveness of the county's paramedic program and compare it with other programs throughout the state and across the nation. "This is not an effort to discredit including the incorporation of the service with local police or fire departments. Under the Sheriffs department, Davis County's paramedic program has recently come under attack as an inefficient way to provide the service. Some of the arguments against the current system include having units respond when not needed, paramedics issuing traffic citations in various municipalities deemed by some as an encroachment on local police authorityand excessive ex-cessive mileage, maintenance costs and early retirement of paramedic emergency vehicles due to constant patrolling. The committee will compile its information and report its findings to the Council of Governments (a board consisting of city mayors and county commissioners) at the council's coun-cil's October meeting. |
