Emergency Medical Services

The association representing Carroll's volunteer firefighters unveiled last night a revamped plan for providing the county with enhanced, round-the-clock ambulance services. Responding to complaints from officials that a previously approved plan left the county's smaller fire stations without overnight ambulance personnel, officials in the Carroll County Volunteer Firemen's Association modified their allocation of nearly $2 million in county money to increase the amounts earmarked for fire companies in Union Bridge and New Windsor.

The association representing Carroll's volunteer firefighters unveiled last night a revamped plan for providing the county with enhanced, round-the-clock ambulance services. Responding to complaints from officials that a previously approved plan left the county's smaller fire stations without overnight ambulance personnel, officials in the Carroll County Volunteer Firemen's Association modified their allocation of nearly $2 million in county money to increase the amounts earmarked for fire companies in Union Bridge and New Windsor.

Ronald M. Kropp, former director of planning and development for the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services, died of coronary artery disease Oct. 23 at his Otterbein home. He was 56. Mr. Kropp, who was born in Baltimore and raised in Parkville, graduated from Parkville High School in 1964. He earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Baltimore in 1968. In 1974, he earned a master's degree in comprehensive health system planning from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health.

DAY IN, day out, more than 70 percent of the calls to the Baltimore City Fire Department are for medical emergencies. But the city has so few medic units available that fire trucks, instead of ambulances, often are sent to handle life-and-death emergencies. This makes no sense. It's wasteful economically, and it does not save lives. That's why the Greater Baltimore Committee and the Presidents' Roundtable last year urged Mayor Martin O'Malley to give Baltimoreans the same level of emergency medical services as fire protection services.

Use public funds to help train volunteer EMT's The Sun's article "Ambulance volunteers overwhelmed" (Dec. 19) examined a very real problem facing Emergency Medical Technicians and the Maryland counties they serve -- the viability of an all-volunteer system in the face of a growing suburban population and whether counties should supplement their volunteer EMTs with paid personnel. However that is resolved, another equally important problem faces volunteers today: the lack of up-to date training.

A Senate committee killed a proposal yesterday that would have raised motor vehicle registration fees from $70 every two years to $76, with the proceeds going to pay for state emergency medical services, including Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Sen. Barbara A. Hoffman, chairwoman of the Budget and Taxation Committee, said two subcommittees looked at the bill and both rejected the idea of raising registration fees. "There wasn't any sentiment, except for a few senators, to do any fees -- even for Shock Trauma," said Hoffman, a Baltimore Democrat.

DREADING THE arrival of snow, fog and icy roads?In this uncomfortable -- and sometimes dangerous -- season, you are invited to express concerns about the county's s delivery of emergency medical services.A public meeting, sponsored by the Emergency Medical Services Evaluation Task Force, will be at 7 p.m. Monday at the Gateway Building.Comments or suggestions are welcome but should be kept to five minutes in length. That way the task force can hear from a variety of people.The Gateway building is at 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive, off Route 175.For further information, contact the Bureau of Operations of the Department of Fire and Rescue Services at 313-6020.

Anne Arundel County could overhaul the way it provides and pays for emergency medical services, depending on the recommendations of a panel that convened yesterday to examine the system."

The Carroll commissioners have honored workers at the county's Emergency Operations Center by declaring today "911 Emergency Number Day."The dispatchers and their supervisors are being honored for their dedication, professionalism, commitment and lifesaving techniques while answering 29,162 emergency 911 calls in 1993.The commissioners praised the staff at the emergency center during the proclamation at the county office building Thursday.Howard S. "Buddy" Redman, chief of the Bureau of Emergency Services Operations, said the employees who staff the center perform their duties around the clock all year.

Share the RiskThe crisis in health care continues to grow. To exacerbate the problem, some existing Maryland health maintenance organizations and some new ones coming into our state are offering lower rates to potential business subscribers whose census reflects lower than average risks. The end result will be that these lower risk groups will be skimmed off by the lower price offering, leaving the higher risk groups with the Maryland Blue Cross and Blue Shield.A small employer who has one employee with a major illness is denied the ability to change carriers for a lower rate since no new carrier will accept his group.