City responds to EMS letter

The mission of the Campbellsville/Taylor County Emergency Medical Service and the Campbellsville Police CPD Communications Center, E-911, is to provide prompt and technically competent emergency medical service to the citizens and visitors of Campbellsville and Taylor County. The women and men who serve in this capacity live up to their mission every day.

Recently, our E-911 Center received a call for service from an out of county caller. The call received was the second call from this location after the initial call was placed to the emergency medical service in the county of residence of the caller. Subsequently, the original call for service did not please the caller, which prompted communications by the individual expressing his displeasure with CTCEMS and CPD. This communication was sent to Campbellsville Mayor Tony Young, who requested an inquiry from the police department and the response, which follows.

On Dec. 8, 2012, Mr. Danny Sprowles, a LaRue County resident with a mailing address of 2473 Atilla Road in Campbellsville, initiated a 911 telephone call from that residence which was received at LaRue County 911 at 6:14:50 a.m. reporting a medical condition involving his wife. The initial call was answered by LaRue County EMS and an ambulance dispatched at 6:15:24 a.m. A second call was initiated from their residence and received by Campbellsville Police Communications at 6:15:17 a.m. Upon receipt of the second call, Campbellsville Police Communication Officers contacted LaRue County EMS to inform them of the call and learned LaRue County had already received the call and dispatched it, placing an ambulance in transit to the address.

Mr. Sprowles has communicated his displeasure with CTCEMS and the Campbellsville Police Communications Center, citing his desire for CTCEMS to respond and not LaRue County. The following is a response for why CTCEMS did not respond and the communication officers performed their jobs in accordance with policy and law.

Pursuant to Kentucky Administrative Regulation 202 KAR 7:501(2)(5), the Campbellsville/Taylor County EMS was not permitted to respond out of the county for an ambulance call. Although Mr. Sprowles possesses a Campbellsville mailing address, his residence is physically located inside LaRue County 2.31 miles. Moreover, the administrative regulation specifically states the circumstances for which an ambulance service may leave its service area as defined by geographic boundaries.

These reasons include:
1. Mutual aide where another county calls for assistance
2. Disaster assistance
3. Non-emergency transfers from health care facilities
4. Inter-facility care to resident

Therefore, the circumstances surrounding Mr. Sprowles situation does not prescribe an exception to those allowed by regulation.

The summary conclusion of our response to Mr. Sprowles’ concerns are as follows.
1. CPD communications personnel were attentive and followed protocol, policy and state law.
2. CTCEMS followed state law, policy and the tenants of existing mutual aide compacts.
3. Mr. Sprowles’ call for service was routed by the telephone company to his county of residence, which is LaRue County.
4. Mr. Sprowles is not a Taylor County resident.
5. The nature of Mr. Sprowles call did not fall within the exceptions of 202 KAR 7:501(2)(5), since LaRue County EMS did not initiate the request under the mutual aide compact.
6. LaRue County EMS did respond and arrived 22 minutes after receiving the call.

The performance of the CPD Communications Center personnel was in keeping with the high standards of the department and city. We remain dedicated to providing the most effective public safety service to Campbellsville and Taylor County.
Tim Hazlette
Chief of Police
Campbellsville