Looking to avoid financial road blocks and “surprises” in the future, Hopkinsville EMS/Fire Board Chairman Darrell Gustafson and EMS/Fire Chief Steve Futrell brought about a potentially harrowing update during Tuesday’s Christian County Fiscal Court meeting.
Of the utmost concern: stagnant revenue, inflating operation costs, and the imminent need to serve the state’s second-largest county in an effective, life-saving way.
A former magistrate, Gustafson affirmed that Christian County’s emergency services are among tops in the Commonwealth.
Those efforts, however, aren’t free.
A “call-and-haul” outfit, both men noted their office has “no choice” but to respond to any and all dispatches made within and nearby county lines, because it’s not the organization’s place to justify and define emergent runs.
As such, the department averages more than 30 calls per day, 250 calls per week, 1,000 calls per month and 12,000 calls per year.
It means the phone rings with purpose at least once every 80 minutes, and it’s easy for the county’s nine rotating ambulances to generate more than 20,000 miles in less than 30 days.
Usually, Gustafson said it’s been possible to operate on $3.2 million in annual revenue — mostly through Medicare and Medicaid. However, that line item has remained stagnant since 2019, and over the last four years, total costs have increased 30%, personnel have seen wages thankfully improved well past $12/hour, and ambulances have spiked from roughly $225,000 to $360,000.
That balance, Gustafson said, has dwindled from $1 million in reserves, to below $265,000 — which isn’t enough to pay for one month’s operational cost.
Futrell, meanwhile, urged that post-COVID inflation and profit on medical costs hit Hopkinsville EMS/Fire “hard,” and yet they still try to comfortably run at least five ambulances on a 24-hour cycle, with nine total available if things go terribly wrong.
Reported annual savings for Hopkinsville EMS/Fire include certified in-house EMT training, which is offered to EMS outfits statewide, and a switch from diesel to gasoline-powered ambulances.
Gustafson confirmed one new ambulance is on order, and will not even be made available to Christian County until sometime in 2025.
FULL DISCUSSION:
In other court news:
— There was a 15-minute, 14-page first reading from County Attorney Lincoln Foster, detailing a new solar ordinance that will repeal Christian County’s original plans. Unanimously approved, the second reading is planned for November 28, and the new document clearly aligns and cleans up leadership’s plans and intent alongside KRS 278 — which was passed into state legislation this past June.
— County Clerk Melinda Humphries also told the court that this past election cycle was “historic,” because nearly 1,700 write-in verifications were handled by their office — most of them surrounding the battle for Commonwealth’s Attorney, as well as Christian County Public Schools Board of Education’s District 4 seat.
