The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Franklin may leave joint EMS group

Carlisle, Franklin Twp. would be forced to look at options.

J.E.M.S. (Joint Emergency Medical Services) ambulance. The city is exploring options that include remaining with JEMS, privatizing its EMS service or bringing it in house for a combined fire/EMS service in the city. All three options will require another tax levy to be put before voters.

Staff photo by Nick Graham J.E.M.S. (Joint Emergency Medical Services) ambulance. The city is exploring options that include remaining with JEMS, privatizing its EMS service or bringing it in house for a combined fire/EMS service in the city. All three options will require another tax levy to be put before voters.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Parade to mark Memorial Day in Lebanon
Updated 10 min. ago
Lebanon updates law banning vicious dogs
New 12 min. ago
Emergency response team offers training
New 14 min. ago
4-H Club helps erect flag pole at Bentley Woods
New 16 min. ago
City honors life of Lebanon marshal
New 24 min. ago
> More headlines

By Skip Weaver, Staff Writer Updated 8:24 AM Friday, February 10, 2012

FRANKLIN TWP. — Carlisle and Franklin Twp. may be scrambling to provide emergency medical services for their residents if Franklin decides to pull out of the Joint Emergency Medical Services group.

Franklin City Council discussed three options for EMS services at its Monday meeting and two of them had Franklin leaving JEMS. Those options were to remain with JEMS, privatize or create its own fire-based EMS.

Privatizing or creating its own EMS service would mean pulling out of JEMS, which would leave Carlisle and Franklin Twp. to figure out a way to continue to fund EMS service.

“It would hurt pretty good,” said Carlisle Councilman Scott Boschert, who is the Carlisle representative on the JEMS Board. “I don’t know if JEMS could sustain itself. We’d have to look for a way to provide EMS service.

“In my opinion, the township and Carlisle would not have enough money to support it,” he added.

Franklin made up 43 percent ($222,485) of the JEMS tax levy funding in 2011. The township paid 42 percent ($215,940), while Carlisle residents paid 15 percent ($75,075).

“The financial impact is our primary concern,” JEMS Chief Andy Riddiough said. “Our levies generate for the combined district. If the city pulls out, it would leave us with just over $290,000 of levy funds and that would impact our ability to provide service to the township and Carlisle.”

Boschert said he is in favor of creating a joint fire district.

“We already have a joint EMS, so we’re halfway there,” Boschert said. “I’ve been saying the fire district is the way to go for a while. I don’t know why we can’t get it done.”

Carlisle Village Manager Sherry Callahan said she was not surprised by the recent news, but is not aware of any analysis of how any of the communities leaving would impact JEMS service.

“It’s been talked about for years,” Callahan said. “But we will look closer now. We would need to know what JEMS is proposing as far as a contingency plan because we definitely want to continue to provide good service for our residents, which is what we’ve had with JEMS.”

JEMS made 3,858 runs in a 13-month period from December 2010 to December 2011. Of that amount, 61 percent, or 2,341 runs, were inside the city of Franklin. The township accounted for 1,019 runs (26 percent) and Carlisle had 498 runs (13 percent).

The average cost per run in 2011 was $115.82 for Franklin, $249.64 for Franklin Twp. and $189.11 for Carlisle.

JEMS was created in 1982 to serve the three communities, but since then the area’s population has changed. According to data from U.S. Census Bureau, the population in Franklin and Franklin Twp. has increased while Carlisle’s has fallen off. Franklin’s population increased 3.1 percent to 11,771 from 2000 to 2010 and Franklin Twp.’s has grown 10 percent to 30,312. Carlisle dropped 4 percent in the same period to 4,915.

“I’m glad Franklin is bringing everything to the table because it’s going to make everyone start talking,” Franklin Twp. Trustee President Beth Callahan said. “We’re going to have to look at things, but I think ultimately the township will be OK.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2852 or Skip.Weaver@coxinc.com.

Share this article