![]() (It may seem as if Port Orange is the only city involved in these disputes, but that’s coincidental: Several other cities are just as avidly interested in taking on transport abilities.) And in April, then-Port Orange Fire Chief Ken Fustin was terminated after a profanity-laced argument with at a local Cracker Barrel nearly led to a physical altercation with county Public Protection Director Joe Pozzo, himself a former Port Orange fire chief. Volusia County Council members have grown visibly frustrated with Post’s repeated attempts to bring up the issue. There are clearly many elements at play, and emotions still run high. From a fiscal standpoint, transport is at the heart of emergency-response politics: It’s the only service that can be billed to patients and their insurance companies, and thus the only source of revenue. Over the past decade, the county has also negotiated contracts that allow city-owned ambulances to transport patients to hospitals when necessary. And right now, there's considerable disagreement about the statistics that best illustrate the performance of the county’s EVAC ambulance service and the unmet needs of cities.Īn outside review of those statistics could at least put the factual dispute to bed To be fair, however, the issue hasn’t really had a full public hearing. We’ve yet to be convinced the accolades given to the current system, including the new nurse triage program that helps prioritize calls that are truly emergencies. ![]() Some city leaders, along with Volusia County Councilwoman Heather Post, insist that the current system is putting lives at risk. More: The best way to cut taxes in Volusia County is to consolidate but it will never happen More: Volusia County EMS struggling under the weight of COVID council clashes over way forward Most residents are also oblivious to the strife and negotiation that have defined emergency medical service in Volusia County for decades, or that the heat is rising once again. We’ve said it before: In a medical emergency, most Volusia County residents don’t care what patch emergency-rescue workers wear - just that they show up fast, and know what they are doing.
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