Ambulances ready to tackle injuries
Staff writer
If the football team is on the field at local high schools, an ambulance likely is there and ready for rapid response.
Marion school superintendent Justin Wasmuth said the district requests an ambulance for each football game in case an injury occurs.
School officials know the ambulance and crew are subject to being called out if medical assistance is needed elsewhere.
It has happened in the past, he said.
The district pays a flat fee of $50 per game for the service.
“They invoice us at the end of the football season,” Wasmuth said. “They are also on call, so if they are called out they go to that call. They may not be back, but we still pay the $50.”
Other districts in the county also request ambulance standby at football games and pay at least a $50 fee.
“Marion County EMS has been great about making sure all of our games our covered,” Peabody-Burns superintendent Antoinette Root said. “We appreciate their continued support of USD #398 athletics. They do a great job and have been very helpful when they are at our games.”
Hillsboro superintendent Clint Corby said his district paid $10 more for ambulance standbys.
“We currently pay $60 per game for their services,” he said. “We are very thankful they have been able to maintain a presence at the games for us.”
Centre superintendent Larry Geist said his district paid $50 for each standby.
It doesn’t pay the county, however. Its payment is made directly to Tampa ambulance to buy needed supplies.
Tabor College spokesman Adam Suderman said the college also asked for ambulance standbys at home football games.
“Tabor does pay them,” Suderman said, but he would not say what the college pays.
“We are not going to disclose the details of that agreement,” he said.
Emergency Medical Services director Chuck Kenney said Tabor pays $50.