LETTER TO THE EDITOR: More Nye County incompetence?

More Nye County incompetence?

Here’s more from Gabbs:

I was a Gabbs first responder/ambulance driver/assistant ambulance coordinator for 10-plus continuous years. I was pretty much on call 24/7 most of the time. My license expired March 31, 2014. I attended all renewal classes with our team and we needed only four hours more for renewal. Unfortunately, we had a family emergency and I was out of state for a month. The four hours were scheduled during my absence and no one was able to schedule the class for me so my license expired. However I remained as the assistant coordinator and ordered supplies, helped keep the ambulance stocked and any other task our team required.

Then I get an email from the newly-hired Nye County Ambulance Coordinator Michael Kline. He writes that my services as a coordinator are no longer required. An email! How long do you have to volunteer to rate a visit or at least a phone call? He cites H.I.P.P.A. concerns. Apparently, with the expiration of my license I will now shout private medical information to anyone within earshot. Methinks Michael needs some P.R. lessons.

I was told by an EMT that a new regulation states I could still be a driver with my current CPR and driver’s licenses, but Michael told me, “Oh no. You were misinformed. You cannot do that.” BUT, here I have in my hot little hands an application for a “driver only” volunteer.

Vance Payne, director of Nye County EMS and Michael have said I cannot order supplies because of H.I.P.P.A. They must think I would have to use the internet program used for reporting ambulance runs. I have never used and never will use that program. I use a fax to order supplies.

So here is the scenario: I am driving the ambulance, I can’t touch the patient but I know who the patient is, I can hear what’s going on in the back because there is no barrier (EMTs and drivers have to be able to communicate).YET, I cannot order supplies. Is it my imagination or do you have to be a doofus to be appointed to a position of authority in Nye County? With very few exceptions that seems to be the case.

Jan Basinger