NewsLocal News

Actions

County delays decision to certify Marco Island ambulance

Posted at 6:52 PM, May 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-22 18:52:15-04

Marco Island's push to be the only Florida city with municipal ambulance service took another turn Tuesday. Collier County EMS and Dr. Robert Tober, the county's medical director, asked county commissioners to deny the city a certificate for ambulance transport. 

"There's no explanation of how they would meet or exceed the performance of Collier County EMS," Dr. Tober told commissioners during their regular meeting.

The decision by Collier EMS to pull its ambulance off of Marco Island ahead of Hurricane Irma - in anticipation of massive storm surge - added fuel to the debate of whether the island should have its own ambulance service. While thousands of people live on Marco, the nearest hospital is over 20 miles away.

"Marco Island should not be left without an ambulance during a hurricane," Marco resident Linda Turner told commissioners.

Tabatha Butcher, Chief of Collier EMS, justified the decision to call the ambulance away.

"If our first responders are injured, or they do not have a vehicle to get them there, they're not going to be helping anybody," Butcher said.

Governor Rick Scott signed a bill in March that allows the cty to vote for local control of its EMS. The vote will take place in August.

"We think we can do it, we can do it better, and the residents of Marco Island feel they are willing to pay for it," said Dianna Dohm of Marco Island.

But commissioners weren't comfortable with the fact that no coordination plan exists between Collier EMS and the city.

"Whether we are going to be the back-up, or whether we're going to require the city to be the back-up...so this is tough," said Commissioner Penny Taylor.

Marco Island city council chairman Jared Grifoni said the city would like the county's blessing, but that they will work with state legislators to bypass them if necessary.

"Marco Island residents want local control, they deserve local control, and if they want to spend more money to improve their level of service, they have every right to do so," Grifoni said. 

Commissioners voted to take another look at Marco Island's request for an ambulance transport certificate within 90 days.