Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem addressed those in attendance during the county council meeting last week about a rumor that piqued interest of county residents.
Norem said she was approached at the Starke County 4-H Fair about the new ALS Non-Emergency Transport Vehicle. The person to whom she spoke said that EMS Director Travis Clary purposely blew up the engine out of his county-issued, handed-down Dodge Charger he was previously using and got a brand new vehicle as a result of his action.
Norem said that is false. The “new” vehicle is a retired police vehicle from the Starke County Sheriff’s Department with over 100,000 miles and by law it had to be painted as it featured two different tones of paint. Only law enforcement vehicles are legally allowed to have that kind of paint scheme on a car. The vehicle is certified as an ALS Non-Emergency Transport vehicle through the state.
As for the Dodge Charger, Clary drove it the Starke County Highway Garage last week to include it in the county’s equipment auction.
Clary uses the ALS Non-Emergency Transport vehicle as a department vehicle and in the event he can respond more quickly to a medical emergency. He has necessary life saving equipment to assist a patient with an immediate cardiac problem, overdose or respiratory distress.
