Monday, January 15, 2018

Anonymous4:28 PM
bob

i have no clue on where you got the 3 year life expectancy from ? ambulances that have proper maintenance and care and pass the state inspection and laws 105 cmr 170.00 there is no reason for this town to get 10 years out of them ! just my 2 cents worth.

Does anyone see a problem with a 10 year old ambulance? I understand one of the main reasons for new equipment for the DPW is maintenance costs becoming too high. I was curious about this CMR 105  170.00, so I checked. I am thinking that with a of the requirements, administrative and the vehicles physical condition, the Town would be foolish to keep an ambulance for 10 years. Just think of how fast your car or truck's equipment availability can or has changed? Do you want to be transported or cared for from a 10 year old vehicle. What would be the value of such an old vehicle?

What condition would the ambulance be in after 10 years of winter time running?  Again, this is not a plow truck, this is life saving equipment. Now if Templeton has two ambulances, maybe keep one for 10 years but I believe if you are going to be in the ambulance business, you keep one as new and up to date as possible. I am sure there are other ways and schedules to come up with, but I also think the Town needs to look at this from a financial point as well. I mean check on the cost of an ambulance today and then guesstimate what it will be 10 years out. I believe if one checks on municipal finance, 5 years out is the max for financial planning purposes with three being optimum. That may be the reason for the three year plan, as 10 or even 5 years out is just too far out to accurately plan for and is that not one of the biggest complaints/issues with regards to Templeton's finance, lack of good planning. Of course if we want good planning, we need good inclusive information, such as detailed financial reports monthly, which the selectmen seem unwilling to give to the Advisory Committee and departments, which in my opinion, is a big problem.

As an FYI, I drive a 2005 Dodge, I needed to replace a brake line so I went to Dodge parts, that line was now obsolete, not available, I was told I would have to go to an automotive parts store to get materials to make one. I am fortunate in I do that type of work. Back to a 10 year old vehicle, an ambulance, which is involved in life saving. What will be the availability and costs for 5 or 8 year old parts? 10 year old parts anyone?

I am not sure what class of Ambulance Templeton has. Perhaps Anon 4:28 knows this.

from CMR 105 170.00:
A Class V ambulance is a vehicle that does not meet the minimum vehicle design and construction standards of any other class of ambulance, but which may be used to carry a patient in the horizontal position, with sufficient room for an EMT to accompany the patient in the patient compartment. A Class V ambulance may be dispatched to the scene of an emergency to bring trained personnel and appropriate equipment and supplies.


170.455: Class I A Class I ambulance shall be used primarily for emergency dispatch to and transport of sick and injured persons from the scene of an emergency. A Class I ambulance may also be used for scheduled transportation by prior appointment of persons having known and non-emergent medical condition. It shall meet the following minimum requirements: (A) Vehicle Design and Construction. (1) An ambulance service may only purchase, accept or put into operation a Class I vehicle which conforms with the specifications set out in administrative requirements of the Department which are in effect at the date of vehicle production. In the case of municipal services, standards are those in effect at the date of acceptance of a manufacturer’s bid. (2) The Commissioner or his designee may waive specific requirements included in the federal specifications referenced in 105 CMR 170.455(A)(1) where alternatives provide comparable protection of the public health and safety. Requests for waivers or variations must be filed and approved by the Department before the bid or order process is undertaken. Such requests for waiver or variations are not subject to the general waiver requirement set forth in 105 CMR 170.275. (B) Vehicle Equipment. A Class I ambulance shall be equipped at a minimum with the vehicle equipment specified in the administrative requirements entitled Vehicle Equipment Guidelines - Class I. Amendments to such administrative requirements shall be circulated to licensees for review and comment at least 60 days prior to adoption. (C) Medical Equipment and Supplies. A Class I ambulance shall be equipped at a minimum with medical equipment and supplies as specified in the administrative requirements entitled Medical Equipment and Supplies - Class I. Amendments to such administrative requirements shall be circulated to licensees for review and comment at least 60 days prior to adoption.

 In the case of municipal services, standards are those in effect at the date of acceptance of a manufacturer’s bid. (2) The Commissioner or his designee may waive specific requirements included in the federal specifications referenced in 105 CMR 170.460(A)(1) where alternatives provide comparable protection of the public health and safety. Requests for waivers of variations must be filed and approved by the Department before the bid or order process is undertaken. Such requests for waiver or variation are not subject to the general waiver requirement set forth in 105 CMR 170.275.

Anonymous7:08 PM
i think you guys are looking at the ambulance the wrong way . with lack of firefighters these days to respond to calls during the day having an ambulance is putting firefighters in the station to also respond to fire calls ! your making money to help with the cost of firefighters ! sooner than later there will be no call firefighters due to the comment it takes to become a firefighter and these guys are doing there training at very little cost to the town ! dont expect that in the near future ! time away from your family these days guys need to be paid!!!

very true anon, the days of true volunteers are over, it is now about the money - "guys need to get paid" So I think you will find advisory committee looking at this from a money stand point; taxpayer dollars and how much is available for these services as well as how long can it go without some sort of change. Not sure if you are aware of this, but every now and then, uncollectable ambulance charges are written off. I believe the town of Ashburnham just did that - from the Gardner News. Are you wiling and able to pay more in taxes for these services? 
It has already been stated that the plan in place is not working, do you have an alternate plan? If so, please come forward and present it, I am sure any suggestions would be welcome.


from the budget book fiscal 2018 - $387,500.00 for personnel was allocated for the fire department with $72,000.00 listed for the chief salary. Employee support list at $32,500.00. Purchase of services list at $56,000.00. Fire supplies list at $23,000.00. Fire/EMS other list at $70,000.00. This comes to $569,000.00 (from the alocated summary from town accountant) 

from the special town meeting of November 2011:

Article 8 To see if the Town will vote to create a Fire Department-Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with FY2013. Monies out of this fund are expended only through town meeting vote for the purpose of funding various Fire Department capital requests pursuant to the betterment of the Fire Department services as deemed by the Templeton Fire Chief. Submitted by the Templeton Fire Chief 
On a motion duly made and seconded the Town voted to create a Fire/Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account where collected ambulance receipts for services are placed beginning with fiscal year 2013. 
Passed Unanimously/Nov. 7th @ 8:00 

from the annual Town Meeting of May 2013: 
 Article 10 To see if the town will vote to appropriate a sum of money from the Fire Department/Ambulance Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account, or to otherwise raise and appropriate a sum of money to fund Ambulance Department operations, with any unexpended balances in the reserve account to be carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year, or to take any other action relative thereto. 
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 
On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that One Hundred Sixty Thousand Dollars ($160,000.00) be hereby appropriated from the Ambulance Department Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Account to be spent by the Fire Chief to pay for the operation of the Ambulance Service within the Fire Department, with any unexpended balances in said reserve account at year end to be carried forward to the subsequent fiscal year.
 Passed/May 14th @ 8:09 
Article 11 To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate, transfer from available funds, or otherwise provide a sum of money to hire two (2) full-time equivalent firefighter/EMTs to work daytime coverage 48 hours per week (Monday-Friday), or to take any other action relative thereto. 
Submitted by the Board of Selectmen 
Chief Laporte was allowed to speak. 
On a motion duly made and seconded the town voted that One Hundred Twenty Eight Thousand Eight Hundred Twelve Dollars ($128,812.00) be hereby appropriated from the FY 14 tax levy and other general revenues of the town to be expended by the Fire Chief to add two daytime full time equivalent firefighter/EMTs to the staffing of the Templeton Fire Department.
 Passed/May 14th @ 8:26