N.C. County Takes Over Three EMS Agencies

July 17--Johnston County's emergency medical services department is now staffing stations in Clayton, Smithfield and Princeton. For many paramedics, the transition was simple: They worked June 30 wearing their former agency's uniform, then returned July 1 to do the same job in a Johnston uniform.

But while the crews haven't missed a beat in responding to calls, some of the mergers have gone smoother than others. In Clayton, the county took ownership of the two EMS stations and equipment, and it assumed the Clayton squad's debt. Smithfield has leased its downtown EMS station to the county and turned over its ambulances and equipment.

But Princeton EMS, a private group that served eastern Johnston under a contract with the county, hasn't parted with its station and vehicles. That left county officials scrambling to get a station up and running July 1. A last-minute agreement with the Princeton Fire Department has allowed for a temporary station there. The fire station is next to the EMS headquarters, and the $818,000 complex is owned jointly by both groups.

"We haven't gotten those details worked out," County Manager Rick Hester said, though he declined to elaborate on the hold-up. "(Negotiations) are pretty much stalled at the moment."

Princeton EMS Chief Eugene Hartley would not say why his organization hasn't given up its assets. "I'm assuming there's supposed to be more negotiations," he said. The group's attorney, Bob Spence Jr. of Smithfield, declined to say what the agency is seeking in a deal with the county.

Most of the Princeton squad's eight full-timers and 20 part-timers have started work with the county's EMS department, though a few have opted to work elsewhere. One Princeton paramedic did not get a job offer from the county, Hartley said.

Johnston EMS Division Chief Josh Holloman said that 95 percent of the Clayton and Princeton staffs now work for the county. Everyone on Smithfield's payroll made the switch to county employment. And a few people who worked for the county part-time have been hired full time to handle the extra territory.

But folks around Smithfield, Clayton and Princeton shouldn't expect to see the same ambulance crew each time they call 911. The crews will rotate among base stations every three months, Holloman said. "We wanted to make sure there was at least one crew member that was familiar with each area," he said.

Also, the same number of ambulances are operating at each station, so residents can expect the same level of service. And overall, the transition went as smoothly as possible given that Johnston officials had only months to complete the merger.

"Anytime you bring three (agencies) on at one time, it's not going to be simple," Hester said.

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Copyright 2012 - The Herald, Smithfield, N.C.