Darien hears rescue options
DARIEN TOWNSHIP — Town officials have no plans to hire Delavan Rescue Squad anytime soon.
Chief John Kramer's and Capt. Todd Blume's presentation Tuesday night was meant only to be informational, Chairman Cecil Logterman said.
The two spoke to the town board about the squad's services and about emergency services in general.
"We're not looking at hiring them. We're not looking at going with them," Logterman told The Janesville Gazette before the meeting.
But one village of Darien official in the audience said the thought of dissolving Darien Fire and Rescue was "deplorable."
Currently, Darien Fire and Rescue, 311 W. Madison St., Darien, provides emergency services to the village of Darien and Darien Township.
Logterman said the information Kramer and Blume shared will be passed on to professionals expected to complete a study of emergency services in the city of Delavan, the village of Darien and the townships of Delavan and Darien.
Three of the four municipalities have agreed to spend about $8,400 each on a study of the feasibility of combined services. The Delavan Town Board has not yet made a decision on the issue.
Delavan Rescue Squad is one of only a handful of private, non-profit paramedic services in the state, Kramer said. The squad contracts with the city of Delavan; the city of Elkhorn; the town of Richmond and the village of Sharon to provide rescue services, he said.
"It's not all or nothing," Kramer said. "It's not, 'Just us, or we're not going to participate.'"
At a recent village of Darien meeting, board member Craig McCue was in favor of pitching in money to research options for changes to services in the Delavan-Darien area.
In the audience at Darien Town Hall on Tuesday night, McCue clarified his stance.
"If there is an attempt to dissolve the EMS of the town and village, I find that deplorable," McCue said.
Jun 10, 2009 at 3:54 p.m.
Suggest removal
The territorial nature of the local governments, particularly the ambulance services and resucue squads needs to stop. Rescue squads, as they are called in this area, exist to provide high level healthcare for the good of their respective communities. They do not exist simply to provide their membership with a hobby or a place to hang out with their friends, drive fast, and break things. Ambulance services must provide the most cost effective benefit to their communities. I have observed that the Delavan Rescue Squad has multiple paramedic level ambulances available and that they maintain the fastest response times in Walworth County. Darien has some good people too, but they are not Paramedics and their response times are much longer. They also utilize a private, for-profit company to back them up on all but the most minor ambulance calls.
The public deserves the best service available to them provided in the most cost-effective way. Bravo to the town board and to the rescue squads for participating in the study. If there is a better way to provide better care, it must be found and implemented for the good of the public. It's time to bust the silos and end the petty squabbling. Lives are on the line.
Jun 4, 2009 at 3:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
Sounds like Delavan Rescue is out advertising for sure. Not sure if they are looking for work but looks like it. Was Darien Rescue personel there? Sounds like their turf may be in jeopardy.
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