Thursday night, the Blytheville Police and Fire Committee sent a "contract with Pafford EMS" to the Blytheville City Council.
Without the proposed agreement in hand, Councilman R.L. Jones motioned to accept the Pafford contract and got a second from Councilman Stan Parks, who is chairman of the committee. The other committee member, L.C. Hartsfield, did not vote in the voice vote, leaving it a 2-0 decision. Hartsfield, a newcomer to the Council, said he didn't vote because he wasn't involved in the original discussions back in June.
It was unclear at Thursday's meeting if the contract was a right of first call or an exclusive contract.
Pafford Medical Services President Jamie Pafford-Gresham told the Courier News Friday it would be an exclusive contract, but the company would work with the Blytheville Emergency Squad, which is a volunteer organization.
During Thursday's meeting, Councilman Kevin Snow thought the contract would give Pafford a right of first call, as Mississippi County EMS had before being bought out by Pafford.
On Friday, Snow said an exclusive agreement should be studied further. Snow said he isn't saying he is for or against an exclusive contract, though he did have concerns that it could block potential future businesses (ambulance services) from locating here. He wants more information on the proposal.
Mississippi County Judge Randy Carney said the county has a verbal agreement with Pafford and an exclusive contract is in the works, pointing out the company has invested a lot of money in Mississippi County. Carney added the county is well-covered with Pafford.
On Friday, Jones said if the other council members feel uncomfortable, the council can table the issue. Jones said he is for an exclusive agreement at this time.
"I'm for it right now," Jones said. "All these other tweaks and all these things have got to be worked out. Whatever is best for the citizens of Blytheville, I'm going to be for."
Parks noted Pafford is offering discounts to Blytheville residents if the council approves the agreement.
Parks said he supports giving Pafford an exclusive contract, especially given what Pafford is offering the community.
"As for the most cost savings advantage for the community of having Pafford as a sole provider is our membership program," Pafford-Gresham wrote in an email to the Courier News in June. "It is unique in the fact it DOES cover both emergency and non-emergency transportation that is medically necessary to facilities within the locality that best serves the patients needs. It is not an insurance policy, and I would be happy to elaborate more on this valuable service we provide our other communities. We currently serve 27 other communities in four states with two aeromedical helicopters and two fixed-wing medical planes with over 400 associates and 70 trucks on the road."
Pafford first made a franchise agreement request in June, asking to become the city's exclusive ambulance service provider. Currently, Pafford is the only ambulance service in Blytheville. The Blytheville mayor's office received a copy of the proposed "Ambulance Franchise Agreement" on Friday. "Pafford will be the sole ambulance franchise by any and all modes of transportation," the proposal reads.
The proposal also says: "This Franchise Agreement does not prohibit another provider from basing air ambulances within the city of Blytheville. This Agreement does not prohibit any not-for-profit or volunteer organization from operating an ambulance service within the city provided such service is already in operation at the time this Agreement is entered into."
Mayor James Sanders noted that Air Evac would not be affected by the potential agreement.
The city last entered into an ambulance service agreement in June 2008, when choosing the now-defunct Mississippi County EMS over Pafford. At that time, Pafford unsuccessfully lobbied council members to split all the city's 911 calls with Mississippi County EMS, a new company that was an alternative to Medic One. The agreement with Mississippi County EMS was a right of first call, not an exclusive rights contract.
Pafford has since bought out the former ambulance service.
"The history of Pafford Medical services (which is actually an Arkansas-based company with the parent company starting in 1967) coming to Mississippi County started about six months before our arrival to town when a very prominent physician and Kevin Jackson came to visit with Pafford requesting we place a service in the south end of the county against the current provider, Medic One," Pafford-Gresham wrote in June. "Pafford-Arkansas is not known for competing against other providers and seeing that we felt Medic One had an agreement with the county, we did not come to town. Approximately six moths later, I was approached by Medic One wanting to sell their contract in Mississippi county immediately. I jumped at the opportunity because I knew before, competition was all that was holding Pafford back from entering the market. I did not do my due diligence, paid for the service and took over, only to find out the same week the fire guys started a company. We both entered the market simultaneously, not months apart as reported.
"Our purchase of Mississippi County EMS was an effort that both Chris Simms and Francis Lewis worked toward, understanding what Pafford could bring to the table if our services were combined. Both gentlemen are consultants today for the company and assist when needed."
She added Pafford has purchased property and remodeled adding value to the community.
"We enjoy a good working relationship with the college and their medic programs along with being involved in community activities," Pafford-Gresham continued.
------
Meanwhile, Thursday night, Fire Chief Mike Carney gave his monthly report to the committee.
Carney said the installation of the generator at Station 1 should be complete by the end of this month. He also hopes to have some quotes soon for foundation work at that station.
The department is looking to purchase a new fire truck to replace the 1983 Ford Boardman, which has some issues, according to Carney.
Carney is leaning toward a Pierce firetruck because the company has a facility in Memphis, if an issue arises with the truck.
In other news, BFD has performed several fire prevention classes already in 2015 and continues to promote its smoke detector and weather radio program.
Also, the department recently received the extrication equipment it ordered, and training has begun with the new equipment. "We hope to be setting up a School Bus Extrication Class through the State Fire Academy in the near future," Carney said.
mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com