Symons Emergency Services has given notice to the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) that in the near future it will cease providing Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance services in the Exclusive Operating Area (EOA), which encompasses the greater Bishop area.
Symons has served the Bishop area since 1989. Its current contract with ICEMA requires an ALS level of response in the Bishop area EOA, which ensures that a paramedic is on board the responding ambulance. Over the past year, the Bishop Fire Department has backed up Symons with additional ambulance service, mostly provided by volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) delivering Basic Life Support (BLS) services.
“While Symons’ decision to cease service is unfortunate, the City and County are working together to develop a plan that will ensure continued critical ambulance service for the residents and visitors in the greater Bishop area,” said City Administrator Deston Dishion. Both agencies are committed to keeping the public informed as they work through the process.
In its formal notice to ICEMA, Symons Emergency Services cited unsustainable financial losses as the reason for the company ceasing ALS operations in Bishop. Symons said it can no longer bear the burden of subsidizing the ambulance service as a result of rising costs continuously outpacing Medicaid reimbursement rates.
Symons, ICEMA, and the agencies are exploring the possibility of Symons providing BLS services as a short-term solution that may allow for a smoother transition to a new provider. All involved Emergency Service partners are committed to ensuring ambulance service is available while a long-term solution is sought.
Public meetings will be scheduled in the near future for residents to give input.
Some I hear whining and complaining, making it political saying “if we didn’t keep sending money to the Ukraine and other Countries and keep America’s money in America this wouldn’t have to happen”…but those saying that, usually backing and supporting those in legislation to cut Medicare and social security benefits… Read more »
No worries.
The California PUC just doled out $100 mill to Inyo County for better broadband service.
And so we should soon be able to livestream ALS ambulance service in these parts.
Much more efficient.
I don’t understand the connection.
I’m being sarcastic mateo.
To point out that the government apparently has plenty of public $ with which to fund internet infrastructure and subsidize private internet service providers, but not enough to adequately fund and subsidize private ambulance service providers.
Does the State offer funding to subsidize private ambulance services – or even to subsidize NGO or public ambulance services? Seems like your excellent analysis of government funding could be really useful if you know of any actual resources instead of making snarky non-sequitur comments about unrelated government organizations.
Thank you for helping me make my point again, mateo! As you imply, the state doesn’t apparently subsidize private ambulance service providers, even though it has funds to subsidize private internet service providers. And I think it should, because ALS ambulance service is in my view essential to the health… Read more »
That’s a decent point – especially for rural communities. I’m sure we aren’t the only area that needs assistance
Thank you mateo!
I realize broadband and ambulance service are a long ways apart.
Your beef with my comment was legitimate and prompted a more constructive one.
PS – You seem a lot more worked up over my snarkyness, mateo, than the loss of ALS ambulance service. And since you’ve called me out for my ignorance of government funding: How about the City of Bishop and Inyo County using some of their TOT revenue to subsidize Symons… Read more »
That’s a joke son!
That’s because there is none. Pretty sure s/he was being sarcastic. At least I hope so. And indeed… one way to turn a code blue into a code red would be to livestream instructions to untrained providers. Clever