1985-03-15 Special Meeting
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MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 11, 1985 (CONTINUED)
ADDITIONAL ITEMS - COUNTY MANAGER (CONTINUED)
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AUTHORIZATION FOR COUNTY ATTORNEY TO ENTER INTO AGREEMENT WITH
CONTINENTAL INSURANCE COMPANY - FLEMINGTONLANDFILL - EPA LAWSUIT
After discussion, it was the consensus of the Board to
authorize the County Attorney to finalize the Flemington Landfill
- EPA Lawsuit entering into agreement with Continental Insurance
Company for defense of New Hanover County.
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner
to adjourn the
UNANIMOUSLY.
Retchin MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Dolan
meeting. Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED
Chairman O'Neal adjourned the meeting at 12:20 o'clock P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
~V::~
Clerk
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MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING WITH RESCUE SQUADS, MARCH 15, 1985
ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in Special
Session jointly with the New Hanover County Rescue Squads on
Friday, March 15, 1985, at 8:00 o'clock A.M. in the Assembly
Room, New Hanover County Administration Building, Wilmington,
North Carolina.
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Members present were: Commiss ioners John Dolan; Fred
Retchin; Claud 0' Shields, Jr.; Vice-Chairman Jonathan Barfield;
Chairman Nolan O'Neal; County Manager, G. Felix Cooper; County
Attorney, Robert W. Pope; and Clerk to the Board, Lucie F.
Harrell.
Chairman O'Neal called the meeting to order.
PRESENTATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS DEFIBRILLATION
PROGRAMS
Mr. Richard F. Carter, President of the National Pacemaker
Foundation, gave a presentation on the Emergency Medical
Technicians Defibrillation Program emphasizing the loss of lives
in New Hanover County due to not providing improved cardic care.
Mr. Carter introduced the following members of the medical
community who commented on the importance of upgrading the level
of care:
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MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MARCH 15, 1985 (CONTINUED)
PRESENTATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS DEFIBRILLATION
PROGRAM. (CONTINUED)
Dr. Peter Meyer, Medical Director of New Hanover County
Emergency Medical Services, commented on the present level of EMT
care in the County stating how significantly it has improved in
the last two years through the cooperation and assistance of the
Volunteer Rescue Squads. He stressed the importance of
developing a county-wide or centralized Emergency Medical Rescue
System to provide an advanced level of care as proposed in the
EMT-D program. He endorsed the proposal presented by Dan
Summers, Emergency Services Coordinator, stating it provides for
a paid full-time, professional EMT staff 24-hours a day and at
the same time utili zes the many services provided by the
volunteers.
Dr. Kenneth Marburg, Board Certified Emergency Medical
Service Specialist at New Hanover Memorial Hospital, commented on
the EMT-D advanced program stressing the importance of
establishing a centralized County Rescue System before
implementing this type of program.
Dr. Robert A. Parr, an Emergency Medical Specialist at New
Hanover Memorial Hospital, commented on the present system and
supported the idea of a cenrtalized County Rescue System before
advancing to any higher level of EMT care.
Dr. James Dineen commented on the importapce of a.sponsoring
hospital emphasizing the importance of obtaining endorsement of
the program by the hospital.
Discussion was held on the fact that the N. C. Board of
Medical Examiners does not permit emergency medical technicians
to use difibrillators. Only paramedics can use them unless the
Board of Medical Examiners approves a pilot program.
Mr. Robert Bland commented on the number of hours required
by the State of North Carolina for a paramedic to become state
certified. He stated 418 hours of classroom study and
approximately 100 hours of clinical time were the prerequisites.
He commented on the fact that most systems are regulated by the
doctors participating in the program with a variance in the
number of hours required.
A lengthy discussion was held on the State preventing the
establishment of EMT-D programs and what channels should be
followed to correct this problem.
Chairman O'Neal, on behalf of the Board, expressed
appreciation to Dr. Robert Carter and members of the medical
community for attending and sharing their comments on EMT-D
programs being implemented throughout the country.
BREAK
Chairman O'Neal recessed the meeting for a break from 10:18
o'clock A.M. to 10:35 A.M. o'clock A.M.
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COMMISSIONER BARFIELD EXCUSED FROM MEETING
Commissioner Barfield was excused from the meeting at 10:18
o'clock A.M. due to a work related issue.
DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATE PROPOSALS BY COUNTY VOLUNTEER RESCUE
SQUADS
Mr. William J. Murray, Chairman of the Ogden Volunteer
Rescue Squad Board of Directors and representing the New Hanover
Volunteer Rescue Squad, gave a presentation on a proposal that
supported advanced care but did not require consolidation of the
squads. He commented on the cost to the County if the current
volunteer system was discontinued. .
Mr. Allen Tiller, Chief of the Ogden Rescue Squad, commented
on the County's proposal leaving the volunteers with very few
i'-...
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9/5
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MARCH 15, 1985 (CONTINUED)
DISCUSSION OF ALTERNATE PROPOSALS BY COUNTY VOLUNTEER RESCUE
SQUADS (CONTINUED)
duties stressing the importance of Nolunteerspirit. He, also,
expressed concern about the lack of cooperation between the
E~ergency Services Coordinator and rescue squads stating very
llttle contact had been made by Dan Summers to strive to solve
the current problems.
Commissioner 0' Shields expressed concern for the Volunteer
Rescue Squads not being willing to contact the new Emergency
Services Director stating he felt this was the responsibility of
the squads.
Commissioner Dolan gave background information on the
various rescue systems throughout the State stressing the
importance using the volunteer squads as full partners in the
establishment of a county-wide system. He commented on Dan
Summer's proposal for a centralized system expressing concern for
the concept of volunteers as a third party not a general partner
stating he felt this was unfair to the the members of the rescue
squads.
After a lengthy discussion of proposals and discussion
between the Commissioners and members of the Volunteer Rescue
Squads, County Manager Cooper stated he felt a proposal could be
prepared that would satisfy all parties involved.
Mr. Seth Hunt, Regional Coordinator of the Office of
Emergency Medical Services, commented on the State's concern for
a higher level of emergency rescue care in the State stressing
the importance of not rushing into a program without a great deal
of planning.
Mr. John Willis, a former member of the New Hanover
Volunteer Rescue Squad, commented on CPR training emphasizing the
importance of training when implementing a defibrillator system.
He stressed the importance of utilizing volunteers in any system
established.
After a lenghty discussion, Commissioner Retchin MOVED,
SECONDED by Commissioner O'Shields to form a Division of
Emergency Medical Services under the Department of Emergency
Services. Included in the MOTION was the request for the
Emergency Services Director, County Manager or his designee, a
member of each Volunteer Rescue Squad, a ~epresentative. of the /
Wilmington Fire Department and representative of the hospital to
study the two proposals presented by the Ogden Volunteer Rescue
Squad and New Hanover Volunteer . Rescue Squad and the
County's Proposal prepared by the Emergency Services Office
preparing a proposal with recommendations for restructuring the
operations of emergency services in New Hanover County to be
presented to the Commissioners within 30 days. The MOTION
CARRIED AS FOLLOWS:
Voting Aye: Commissioner Retchin
Commissioner O'Shields
Chairman O'Neal
Voting Noe: Commissioner Dolan
Absent:
Commissioner Barfield
Commissioner Dolan expressed concern for action being taken
prematurely in establishing such a division.
After further discussion, Commissioner Retchin MOVED,
SECONDED by Commissioner O'Shields to enter int~ the record that
the Commissioners support and endorse the establlshment of a EMT-
D certification as recommended by the EMS Committee. Upon vote,
the MOTION CARRIED AS FOLLOWS:
817
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING, MARCH 15, 1985 (CONTINUED)
Voting Aye: Commissioner Dolan
Commissioner O'Shields
Commissioner Retchin
Chairman O'Neal
Absent: Commissioner Barfield
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Commissioner O'Neal, on behalf of the Board,
appreciation to all members present of the Rescue
other organizations for giving of their time to
share- helpful comments to all.
expressed
Squads and
attend and
ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner O'Shields
to ad journ the meeting.
FOLLOWS:
MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Dolan
Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED AS
Voting Aye: Commissioner Dolan
Commissioner O'Shields
Commissioner Retchin
Chairman O'Neal
Absent: Commissioner Barfield
rIP~t?W~tted,
~~cie F. Harrell
Clerk
MINUTES OF REGULAR MEETING, MARCH 18, 1985
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ASSEMBLY
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met in Regular
Session on Monday, March 18, 1985, at 9:00 o'clock A.M. in the
Assembly Room, New Hanover County Administration Building, 320
Chestnut Street, Wilmington, North Carolina.
Members present were: Commissioners Jonathan Barfield, Sr.;
John Dolan; Claud O'Shields, Jr.; Chairman Nolan O'Neal; County
Manager, G. Felix Cooper; County Attorney, Robert W. Pope; and
Clerk to the Board, Lucie F. Harrell.
Members absent were: Commissioner Retchin
Commissioner 0' Shields gave the invocation.
called the meeting to order.
Chairman O'Neal
NON-AGENDA ITEMS
Chairman O'Neal asked if anyone present wished to speak on an
item not listed on the Regular Agenda or an item listed on the
Consent Agenda. The following person commented:
Mr. Pat McCoy, Chairman of the Cape Fear Area Directors of
Volunteers In Agencies, gave background information on the 6th
Annual New Hanover County Volunteer Recognition Reception,
to be held on April 28, 1985, from 3:00-5:00 P.M., at Roland Grise
Junior High School requesting funding in the amount of $1,000.
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Commissioner O'Shields MOVED, SECONDED by Commissioner Barfield
to approve funding for this year in the amount of $1,000 and that
future requests be submitted as a budget item on an annual basis.
Upon vote, the MOTION CARRIED AS FOLLOWS:
Voting Aye: Commissioner Barfield
Commissioner Dolan
Commissioner O'Shields
Chairman O'Neal
Absent: Commissioner Retchin
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