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Local EMS Agencies To Share Barnesville Hospital Transport Duties

Barnesville Village Council recently discussed a trial plan being implemented by Barnesville EMS and other local departments to handle the transportation needs of WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital.

During a recent council meeting, Fire Chief Tim Hall informed members that beginning Aug. 1, the Barnesville, Somerton, Belmont and Bethesda EMS departments will begin a rotation of handling “transports” for the hospital. The Barnesville department will only have one day a week in the rotation.

Hall went on to say that this arrangement is being entered on a trial basis and that he would like to add an extra two-person crew to the day on which Barnesville handles the transports to ensure there is coverage available for emergency calls.

In response to a question from Councilman Brian Yarnall, Hall said that Barnesville EMS does not get paid for doing transports for the hospital.

Councilman Steve Hill said village taxpayers had voted in favor of the EMS levy to take care of the people of Barnesville, “not to take care of transports for the hospital.”

Hall said he would do a transport for “something serious,” even if it wasn’t Barnesville’s designated day.

When Councilman Tony Johnson asked about using mutual aid from neighboring departments for the day that Barnesville handles transports, Hall said they could not always count on the availability of mutual aid.

Johnson also expressed his dismay that a lifelong Barnesville resident recently had been unable to get a transport when they needed it, and that he wasn’t happy with the way the situation was being handled.

Meanwhile, resident Scott Baker told council that due to local interest and the support of new donors, the Eyes of Freedom military memorial will be returning to the village for the Pumpkin Festival this September after its successful and impactful exhibition during the event last year.

Baker added that the memorial would be coming into town the Sunday prior to the festival and will be open exclusively for student visits on Monday and Tuesday before being open to the public for the rest of that week.

Village Administrator Roger Deal informed council that Ohio-West Virginia Excavating had submitted the only bid for the Westview Drive lift station overhaul, adding that its $322,000 bid was well under the original $360,000 estimate for the project.

Deal reminded council that the plan was to use American Rescue Act funds, some of which have not yet been received by the village, to complete the long-needed infrastructure upgrade. Council members voted to accept the bid.

Deal also informed council that he was advertising to hire a wastewater treatment plant operator due to the retirement of Steve Phillips, and that he was re-advertising a part-time position available in the Water Department Office.

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