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HUBBARD -- Residents of the township and city are without their own ambulance service in the middle of a pandemic, and the fire district wants to change that, first by seeking advice from other joint fire districts.
The Eagle Joint Fire District will contact David "Chip" Comstock, chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in Poland, to speak with him and Hubbard city and township officials on what needs to be done to get emergency medical service or ambulance service to the area. The Western Reserve Fire District represents Poland Village, Poland Township and Lowellville.
Hubbard Councilman Mike Kerr said at this week's Eagle Joint Fire District board meeting he will get in touch with Comstock so he can explain what they have been doing for ambulance and EMS in his joint fire district in Mahoning County and what can be done to get the services in Hubbard. Kerr said the meeting will take place before the end of the year.
"We have to do something. He is willing to speak to us about ambulance and backup and primary services and what they have been doing in his fire district. We can go over our situation and discuss our levies and what this one does and what the other does," he said.
Eagle Joint Fire District board member Mike Pieton said it has been a rough three years.
"We want to get ambulance service here real soon," said Pieton, who is ending his three-year term as the township's citizen representative on the board this month.
Fire Chief Ron Stanish, who said he was contacted by Comstock, said the Eagle district had 64 calls in November. He said Comstock offered to come and speak to Hubbard officials about ambulance service issues and what is done in the Poland area, as well as Canfield, which also has a joint fire district -- the Cardinal Joint Fire District -- with the township and city.
"He has experience and has worked with numerous fire departments in the area, including getting our district together in 2007. He can help provide us with guidance of what we can do here and what we can offer," Kerr said.
Scott Thomas and other fire department staff at Wednesday's meeting asked who is responsible for providing emergency medical service.
"We have had a bit of trouble and need to know what the plan is for EMS coverage," Thomas said.
Board members said the district has had an agreement signed by the city and township since 2008, but noted that could change. Kerr said residents pay for the service when they use it.
He said the goal is for the city, township and fire district to come to an agreement about the need for additional help because of a lack of EMS.
The district has had to get assistance from Brookfield and Liberty fire departments, which can't always get to Hubbard.
"We need help," Kerr said.
Clerk John Morris said year-to-date revenue for the district through November is $503,454.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all health care providers, including paramedic and ambulance services.
Hubbard Mayor Ben Kyle has said at recent council meetings residents and police officers have expressed concern over its contracted ambulance service, Life Fleet, not being able to answer all calls.
Officials have said the ambulance has to be sanitized before it goes on another run, so the ambulance is "out of service" until the cleaning is complete. Brookfield and Liberty fire departments serve as a backup while the Hubbard unit is being cleaned, but Kerr said too frequently, there is an inability to respond or a delayed response time.
In some cases, Brookfield and Liberty were already busy on other calls.
Officials said Life Fleet has seen an increased call volume during the pandemic.
In other business, the fire board discussed CARES Act funds received by the city and township.
Hubbard Trustee Richard Hernandez said the township police department was facing a budget crunch, so the more than $300,000 the township received in federal funds mostly went to the police department as first responders working during the coronavirus pandemic through December.
"In the dire need the township is in for funds, it was decided to use money for the township police department,'' he said.
Kerr said the city has received $400,000 in CARES Act funds this year.
Stanish said because the district only can receive the CARES Act funds from the city or township, they have had to operate on taxpayer funds for COVID-19 items such as masks and medical supplies.
Board chair Marianne Hallapy said fire districts can't apply for CARES Act funds, but the city and township served by the district can.
bcoupland@tribtoday.com