MOAD call numbers increase this year

VIENNA — Dispatch calls for Maries-Osage Ambulance District (MOAD) have increased this year, according to data shared by Administrator Carla Butler at the Nov. 11 board meeting.

In a comparison of call statistics through October 31, 2023, and Oct. 31 this year, Butler said the district had run 591 calls this year compared to 534 calls the previous year. The 57-call increase averages out to about an extra call per week. MOAD’s coverage area increased earlier this year when voters approved the annexation of the area around Meta that the volunteer service COMM-Unity Ambulance covered until it ceased operation in June 2023.

Board members also heard regular monthly call statistics during the meeting. MOAD responded to 62 calls in October. Of those calls, 49 were in the Vienna zone and 13 were in the Freeburg zone.

The Vienna calls included one life-threatening emergency, 29 urgent emergencies, 18 dry-run emergencies and one transfer. The Freeburg calls included nine urgent emergencies and four dry-run emergencies.

Butler said the high ratio of Vienna calls, which comprised about 79 percent of calls in October compared to about 68 percent of calls for the year, had more to do with staffing at the bases than where the calls originated.

The average time in October from a call to getting an ambulance en route was 5.08 minutes. The average time for an ambulance en route to arrive on a scene was 10.22 minutes. The average time from an ambulance arriving on a scene to leaving a scene was 24.82 minutes. The average time from an ambulance leaving a scene to reaching a destination was 44.78 minutes. The average time from an ambulance reaching its destination to arriving back in service was 72.89 minutes.

The only maintenance on the district’s four ambulances in October was routine oil changes. Butler asked the board if it had decided what to do with the 1990 ambulance the district purchased from COMM-Unity Ambulance when the service was discontinued. Transmission issues have kept the vehicle inactive for the last several months.

Board members agreed that they were not interested in putting more money into the ambulance for repairs. They discussed the possibility of moving on from the ambulance through an auction.

Butler said there may be a market for the ambulance’s motor because of its low mileage. The ambulance has only traveled 67,248 miles in its lifespan.

The side door at the Vienna base would not latch and has been swinging open. Board President Don Lanning said he had talked with someone who could replace the door and ensure that it would close.

Butler said the district’s transition to voice over internet phone (VOIP) service through AT&T is still in progress. Board members agreed at the October meeting that VOIP was the best option after AT&T discontinued the copper lines that the district previously used. The estimated savings by switching to VOIP is more than $300 per month.

MOAD’s income totaled $55,911.36 in October. Expenses totaled $38,149.80 for a net income of $18,761.56. Income from service fees billed to patients totaled $38,626.37, which was more than $25,000 more than in September.

The board will approve the budget at the December meeting. In preparation, Butler made notes about some of the district’s major expenses for the year on the monthly budget sheet. The expenses included the new motor in the 2012 ambulance, a new HVAC system at the Vienna base, the election to annex part of COMM-Unity Ambulance’s former coverage area and a $10,000 increase in building insurance.

The search for a billing clerk for the district is on hold until Butler learns updates to the billing and report-writing software. The new report-writing system is set to go live on Dec. 1 if employees complete their training with the software by that date.

Filing for the April 8, 2025, municipal election is open from Dec. 10 to Dec. 31. Two MOAD board seats are on the ballot: Sub-District #1, held by Laura Stratman and Sub-District #4, held by Laura Miller. Each seat carries a three-year term.

Recent public events included the tractor pull and trunk or treat events in Vienna, trunk or treat in Freeburg and the Argyle V.F.W. ‘s shooting match in Argyle.