MADISON TOWNSHIP — Madison Township will temporarily provide EMS service to Harrison Township after the Madison Township Board approved an agreement Tuesday night.
Madison Township Fire Chief Mike Lang told members of the township board that Morgan County Commissioner Ryan Goodwin and county administrator Josh Messmer approached the township’s fire department this past summer to ask that it help provide EMS service to Harrison Township during the construction of Interstate 69.
Currently, Morgan County EMS provides EMS service to Harrison Township — but the construction of the interstate will likely make it difficult for crews to arrive to an emergency situation quickly in the township.
Lang noted that the agreement between Madison Township and the county is “almost identical” to a countywide mutual-aid agreement.
“What they are asking us to do is relocate our medic truck, which is right now stationed here at Station 32,” Lang said. “They are asking us to put it at Station 31 for a period of 12 to 18 months during the construction process when (Ind.) 37 will be shut down.”
Station 31 is located along Kitchen Road, just south of Ind. 144, while Station 32 is located on Landersdale Road, between Slideoff and Paddock roads.
According to Lang, moving the primary medic truck, as well as the paramedic to staff it, to Station 31 locates it in the middle of Madison Township, and makes it more accessible to Harrison Township.
The county will provide Madison Township with $48,000 per year to help provide EMS services to Harrison Township.
“So, essentially, we already have a mutual aid that says we’re supposed go over there if we are called,” Madison Township Trustee Scott McDonough said. “So, now this is an opportunity for us to get paid additional funds to help offset our cost on that.”
Bargersville Fire Department currently provides fire services in Harrison Township, and Lang said that Bargersville would provide “first response EMS.”
“They just don’t have a transporting unit at Station 202,” Lang said.
Lang also noted that Harrison Township has about 120 runs per year, and that the township would have the ability to bill patients for many of those runs.
The agreement will go into affect on Jan. 1, 2021.
The Madison Township Board unanimously approved the agreement, 3-0.
Fire Chief report
Lang noted that in 2019, the township fire department responded to 822 calls.
“As of today, we are at 1,057,” Lang said Tuesday night. “Our fire runs are up from 245 last year to 369 so far this year.”
The department’s ambulance calls are at 688 so far this year, up from 577 in 2019.
Lang also reported that EMS revenue this year is up more than $57,000 more than what was projected for 2020.
With the extra revenue for EMS services, and the $48,000 from the county, Lang asked that the board consider giving hourly firefighters a raise of 50 cents per hour, instead of the 25 per hour.
“We are now comfortable with our revenue numbers on both EMS and the interlocal agreement that we would be able to fund that extra quarter per hour,” Lang said.
The township board approved the salary increase for the firefighters unanimously, 3-0.
The next meeting of the Madison Township Board is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 5 at Madison Township Station 32, 7047 E. Landersdale Road, Camby.
~ By Lance Gideon | Reporter | Published December 25, 2020 in The Reporter Times