County Drops Goshen First Aid Crew
Formal action was taken Monday by the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors to remove the Goshen First Aid Crew from the list of agencies authorized to provide emergency medical services.
The Board took the action in the wake of the former chief of the crew being charged with embezzlement a couple of months ago. Paid staff has been hired that is answering calls out of the Goshen Fire Department.
Individual supervisors agonized over making the decision, expressing their support for volunteers who have ably served the community for many years. They said they’re hopeful that a volunteer first aid crew will be reestablished in the future to resume this vital service.
“I don’t like the position I currently find myself in here,” said Walkers Creek Supervisor Tori Brown. “I’m not sure any of us do. Being fully supportive of volunteer agencies, I hate to think I’m going to take part in dismantling one.”
She asked Nathan Ramsey, the county’s chief of fire and emergency services, if the county had “exhausted every viable option that could potentially be on the table?”
“At this time, yes,” Ramsey responded. “I do believe we’ve exhausted all of our efforts at this time regarding the leadership of the organization. At this point, there’s really nothing else we can do.”
He added that in the future, if different leadership were to step forward to seek to re-establish the volunteer first aid crew, that could happen. He said he too values the volunteers who serve the county’s fire and first aid crews. “I always have, as I have been one, that’s where I started as well. I 100 percent value volunteers, but at the point and time of which we’re in, this is the best option moving forward.”
Ramsey was making his remarks remotely, as he was not in attendance at Monday’s meeting. In Ramsey’s absence, County Administrator Spencer Suter presented Ramsey’s report on what he was recommending: “As the Board will recall, during the June 8 Board of Supervisors meeting, staff presented a recommendation to remove the Goshen First Aid Crew from the county’s Emergency Response Plan and transition EMS response within the Goshen service area to a county-operated career staffing model. This recommendation was made in light of the current embezzlement charges, as well as concerns regarding the organization’s leadership, governance, financial oversight and the long-term sustainability of EMS service delivery in the Goshen service area.
“At that meeting, the Board approved the advertisement of amendments to Chapter 14 of the county code to remove the Goshen First Aid Crew from the county’s official Emergency Response Plan. The Board also approved the request for additional career staffing to be assigned to the Goshen Volunteer Fire Company.
“Since the June meeting, staff has completed the hiring process for the personnel needed to support the transition. Staff has also been working with members of the Goshen Volunteer Fire Company to identify appropriate space within the station for living quarters and to finalize a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) governing the administrative and operational relationship, consistent with the agreements currently in place at other County staffed stations.
“As noted during the June meeting, this action does not permanently preclude EMS service by a future volunteer organization. Should the agency be revitalized under new leadership and governance, it may apply for authorization to operate as a new EMS agency in accordance with applicable state and local requirements. In the meantime, any current members who wish to continue serving their community are encouraged to apply as volunteers with Rockbridge County Fire-Rescue.”
During the citizens’ comments portion of Monday’s meeting, several members of the Goshen First Aid Crew urged the supervisors to not take this recommended action.
Joanne Wallace stressed that the Goshen First Aid Crew has plenty of dedicated members with the technical expertise to serve the county well. “These are some of our best people who have run thousands of calls in long EMT careers, getting out of bed in the middle of night after working a long day, then having to go to work the next day after a hard night and little sleep. … You have a volunteer squad that you should be proud of. But instead [you’re] shutting it down at the taxpayers’ expense and putting in paid staff.”
Tyrus Bethel, who presented the supervisors with a petition signed by 200 people in support of the Goshen First Aid Crew, said the volunteers’ “rapid response can make a critical difference during an emergency. I respectfully ask [that you] keep this valuable community resource to provide critical service to people who depend on them.”
Supervisor Brown made her comments in support of the volunteers after the citizens had offered their comments.
Steve Hart also expressed his support for the volunteers, saying he didn’t like either of the choices the supervisors were being presented with. “I haven’t figured out a third [option] but I think if we have to go forward, what we’re doing doesn’t fix the problem that was identified. And I guess that’s what bugs me. … I think it’s necessary as a stop gap until we can fix the problem that’s been identified, the financial management issue. So, going forward we have to figure out how to do that. … We cannot survive without our volunteer agencies.”
County attorney John Dryden interjected that characterizing the issue as financial mismanagement was “understating” what has transpired since criminal charges have been filed. Action is warranted to “protect the assets the county has provided.”
Supervisors chair David McDaniel said, “First and foremost we want to make sure we have the coverage for that community to answer calls. I’m in agreement with Mr. Hart on volunteers. We have to have the volunteers.” He suggested Ramsey meet regularly with volunteers in the area to ensure the county’s support if the agency gets reestablished in the future.
“I can facilitate that, to do whatever we can to keep the service,” said Ramsey. “The service will continue to be provided, always. We will make sure of that. And I can work with the agency to get it back on track if they so choose to do that.”
Hart then made a motion to follow staff’s recommendation to remove the Goshen First Aid Crew from the list of agencies authorized to provide emergency medical services. Leslie Ayers seconded the motion, which passed 5-0.
