WEST FRANKFORT - A town-hall meeting to discuss ambulance service is scheduled for tonight in West Frankfort.

At issue is ambulance service in Frankfort and Denning Townships. The service was previously operated by the West Frankfort Fire Department but was taken over by Cardinal EMS in June, fire department Capt. Craig Lemmon said.

"The fire department had ambulance service for over 40 years," Lemmon, president of International Association of Firefighters Local 2402, said. "(The city) brought in Cardinal during contract negotia-tions. They said we always ran at a deficit and if it continued, they (implied) we could be looking at lay-offs."

West Frankfort Commissioner Frank Browning said layoffs were never and have never been discussed for the fire department as a result of the change in ambulance service.

"The fire department asked us to call in Cardinal for help. They said they didn't want to do the service anymore," Browning said. "My job is to make sure we're making the best use of taxpayer dollars, and I think we are."

Lemmon said the fire department agreed to "take a backseat for six months. We never agreed to give up the service."

The service, as operated by the fire department, could be a money-maker if the billing were more ag-gressive, Lemmon said.

"The city said they only bring back 36 percent of what they bill. If we went to more aggressive billing with a billing company, we could get 60 percent," Lemmon said.

Concerns have also been raised about Cardinal and its continued ability to operate in the county because of similar reimbursement issues, Lemmon said.

"I've been on the fire department since 1993 and during that time we've had at least four ambulance services come and go in the county," Lemmon said.

Resident Susan Malkovich said she will be at the meeting to support a return of the service to the fire department.

"I'm a concerned citizen and a fan of the fire department. They are one of the best groups of people we have in the community. I've seen them take care of a city without a hospital," she said.

Malkovich said many residents have expressed concerns about the service provided by Cardinal.

"They aren't familiar with the streets and the response time can be long. The citizens are not getting the same quality care as they did with the fire department," she said.

Browning said the service is doing "a fine job, exactly what they're supposed to do."

Malkovich said she hopes people will come to tonight's meeting at 6 in the Frankfort Community High School's auditorium.

"This is a chance for the public to know what's going on, to learn things they wouldn't at a city council meeting. An informed community is a smarter community," she said.

Editor's note: There is no connection between Susan Malkovich, who is quoted in this article, and Becky Malkovich, the article's author.

 

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