Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary wants to turn his new-to-him department vehicle into an Advanced Life Support non-transport vehicle.
He explained to the Starke County Commissioners Monday night that he recently acquired a retired squad car from the Starke County Sheriff’s Office with less miles and less issues. He said he’d like to certify the vehicle through the state as an ALS non-transport vehicle. Continue reading
The Starke County Commissioners took time Monday night to discuss several capital projects on the schedule for this year.
A Knox man was injured as a result of a hunting accident around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 6.
There are two new full-time paramedics on staff with the Starke County EMS Department.
EMS Director Travis Clary notified the Starke County Commissioners last week that one of the new hires started the week of March 5 and the other will begin duties this week. Two new full-time Basic EMTs were also hired. They are replacing two vacancies from resignations.
Knox City Police Chief Harold Smith reported that earlier today, a call came into 911 dispatch advising Police, Fire and EMS of a vehicle leaving the roadway and hitting a fence near the intersection of Culver Road and Main Street. Continue reading
Seven people were arrested shortly before 3 a.m. CT Wednesday after Starke County dispatchers received a 911 call from a woman yelling for help.
The dispatchers were reportedly unable to get a name or location from the caller. They were able to use tracking systems to trace the phone call and sheriff’s deputies were notified of the address, according to a news release.
The Starke County EMS staff is trying out a new program that acts as a live radio streaming device, according to EMS Director Travis Clary.
“Basically, this turns your smartphone or any other thing into a live radio streaming device,” said Clary. “It’s great for off-duty members, especially with a size like ours with mainly part-time people. They can hear the call live. It’s pretty neat and again it’s just a trial thing. We’re just seeing how it works with our IT Department.”
The Starke County EMS Department is working to get the heat installed at the Grovertown EMS base.
EMS Director Travis Clary told the Starke County Commissioners last week that some parts were needed to install a ceiling-mounted heater at the base. The heater was purchased as an emergency need at the end of 2017 as medications were freezing while the ambulance was parked in the unheated garage. Clary noted that the heater was to be installed last week.
The Starke County Council members will be looking at costs concerning full-time EMS staff and what the county is paying in overtime.
Starke County EMS Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie will be putting together some figures for the council members in 2018 to compare what the county is paying in overtime versus hiring two more full-time paramedics for adequate coverage.
Director Travis Clary is still looking for part-time paramedics for the department, but it continues to be a challenge, as it is in all counties. Clary said there is no incentive for part-time staff to work so the full-time staff members usually pick up all of the holidays and most of the unfilled shifts.
Starke County EMS Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie informed the commissioners Monday night that the number of ambulance transfers is increasing.
She said the number of transfers in November was at 16 percent which is up from seven percent the month before, but not where they were earlier this year. Basic Life Service transfers from the area nursing homes have increased where the EMS department had not been getting those calls.
A Tuesday morning crash east of North Judson reportedly ended with a 72-year-old man being thrown from his SUV. Officers with the Starke County Sheriff’s Department say it happened around 8:30 near the intersection of State Road 10 and State Road 39 North.
The Starke County Commissioners remain concerned about the number of transfers by Starke County EMS personnel.
EMS Director Travis Clary reported to the commissioners on Oct. 2 that the percentage of transfers dropped from 35 or 25 percent to 10 percent in September.
Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie said the number of transfers were down to seven percent in October. Continue reading
Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 22nd, the Starke County Sheriff’s Department, Knox City Police, Starke County EMS, Knox Fire Department and Washington Township Fire Department responded to a traffic accident on State Road 8 near 600 East.
According to the police report, the accident involved three vehicles. The preliminary investigation indicates that a male juvenile was driving a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am traveling east on State Road 8 when he veered across the center line, striking a full-size handicap Ford van, occupied by a male and female traveling west on SR 8.
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Starke County EMS is losing ambulance transfers to another ambulance service which has caused a reduction in revenue for the county.
EMS Director Travis Clary mentioned the issue to the commissioners earlier this month in his report to the board and the Starke County Council discussed it this week.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary presented ambulance transfer figures to the county commissioners Monday night and the numbers caused concern.
The percentage of transfers dropped from 35 or 25 percent to 10 percent last month. Clary explained that Porter Regional brought in a full-time ambulance that is available at Starke Hospital 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The Porter ambulance service is getting a majority of the Basic Life Support, Advanced Life Support and nursing home transfer calls while Starke County EMS is not getting as many.
Starke County first responders had an emergency of their own after running out of Narcan to assist in five apparent heroin overdose cases in a six-hour span on Saturday.
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According to the Starke County Sheriff’s Office, a heroin overdose was called into the dispatch center on Saturday at 9:20 a.m. Two men were found after responders had to breach a door in order to get inside to tend to them. One was found unconscious on the floor and another on a bed inside the home in the 400 E. block of 200 S. Starke County medics were able to revive the man on the floor using heroin antidote, Narcan.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary told the county commissioners this week that five part-time paramedics were recently hired and they are completing orientation. He hopes this will help cut down on overtime hours.
A small fire broke out in a home in the 1000 Block of Denney Street, yesterday evening. The Knox Police Department was the first on the scene and reported seeing smoke. The fire department received the call at 5:47 p.m. and rushed to the home in the Binkley subdivision. The fire was contained to the kitchen and was extinguished within 5 minutes. Starke County EMS assisted at the scene and fortunately no injuries were reported.
Three people were taken to hospitals Friday, after a crash on U.S. 30 and County Road 1100 East. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office says it happened just after 11:30 Friday morning.
