911 Dispatch losing money; ambulance service is not
911 dispatching, not the operation of the local ambulance service itselft, is the reason for the financial shortfall impacting Butler County EMS.
“We want to make it clear that the shortfall is in the 911 Dispatch. The ambulance service is doing fine and runs are up from previous years,” said Brian McKinney, Butler County EMS Director.
McKinney's comments are in reference to the last Butler County Fiscal Court meeting in which the financial status of the Butler County Ambulance Board was a major topic of discussion.
At that meeting ambulance board member Don Sullivan asked the court to pay for the county’s portions of 911 dispatching services.
According to Sullivan, the ambulance service had a dispatching deficit in 2014 of $102,260. Using a breakdown of calls received to dispatch, Sullivan showed that of 15,772 calls received in 2014, 6,453 of the calls were for county services. Based on those figures 41% of calls were for county services.
Sullivan proposed that the county pay $41,927 of the shortfall, which amounts to 41% of the deficit. He told the court that charging for dispatch services is something the board had considered before but did not enact because the county had previously provided bays for the ambulances, a dispatch office, and other facilities. He said that the city of Morgantown now provides the facilities for the ambulance service and dispatch for $1 per year.
According to McKinney, 911 revenue is down due to fewer people having phone landlines, which benefits the dispatch through taxation. Also, overall expenses have increased.
A Closer Look
Dispatch Expenses Fiscal Year July 1, 2013- June 30,2014
Personnel ( 4 full time, 4 part-time, 1 part –time mapping, and 25% of the director and secretary’s salary)
Salaries $170, 566
Retirement & Insurance $40,936
ATT Pro Club $14,268
ATT Phone Bill $2,544
Phone Controller $40,872 (per year for 5 years- 4 years left)
GoeConex $11,036 annual fee
Office Supplies $1,100
911 fuel $788
Tower Rental $2,400
Insurance
911 Vehicle $508
911 Equipment $900
Total Expenses $285,918
Income
CMRS Wireless $115,580 (cell phones)
911 Surcharge $68,078 (land lines)
Total Income $183,658
Loss -$102,206
Total dispatch calls were 15,772 in 2014 with 6,453 contributed to county entities equaling 41% of the calls.
Butler County Sheriff 4074
Butler County Fire Depts. 737
Butler County Rescue 253
Butler County Constables 22
Butler County Jail 21
Butler County Road Dept. 16
BC Emergency Management 13
Butler County Coroner 12
911 also receives miscellaneous seeking information or making various complaints. Included in the 6,453 calls above were 1,305 misccellaneous calls, which represent one-third of all miscellaneous calls to dispatch.
“When the ambulance board took over 911 dispatch it was making money, however several things have changed,” said McKinney. "Income is down due to the loss of land lines, state-mandated 911 mapping expenses (adding a vehicle, personnel, and new equipment expenses), and a new phone controller had to purchased."
McKinney indicated that since the city of Morgantown currently leases facilities for dispatch and the ambulance for $1 per year to the ambulance board, the board has no plans to ask the city to pay for its portion of dispatching services.
City Dispatch Calls
Morgantown City Police 3750
Morgantown Fire Dept. 419
Misc. 1305
Total 5474
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