Council discusses 911 service

By Staff
Mike Self FCT Staff Writer
Tuesday night's Phil Campbell city council meeting was dominated by lengthy debate regarding the ambulance services available to the town's citizens.
Mayor Jerry Mays and the council heard comments from Barry Pounders of the Phil Campbell Rescue Squad and Bryan Galyon of North Star Ambulance Service before ultimately voting to pass a motion requiring any ambulance service responding to emergency calls in Phil Campbell to station a truck in the city limits 24 hours a day.
Even after the motion passed, Mays acknowledged that ultimate authority on the matter rests with the 911 Board, which met on Thursday, after press time.
North Star does not currently operate a 24-hour truck in Phil Campbell. Calls made to 911 are alternately rotated between the Rescue Squad and North Star, unless the victim specifically requests one or the other.
North Star must respond to emergency calls in Phil Campbell from Russellville, 12 miles to the north. Pounders, who is on the 911 Board, raised this concern in an official complaint to the board filed last October.
The 911 Board appointed Roy Gober and Mike Mayfield to investigate the matter, and the board wanted the council's input prior to making a decision at Thursday's meeting.
Councilman Kerry Cooper expressed concern about the speed at which a truck coming from the Russellville area would have to travel in order to respond in a timely manner to a call from Phil Campbell.
Under the current system, the proximity of each respective emergency response team is not always taken into account when a call comes in.
Councilman Dewey Cooper expressed doubt that an ambulance coming from Russellville could get to Phil Campbell in time to help the victim of something such as a heart attack.
Kerry Cooper expressed similar concerns.
Galyon defended North Star's ability to respond to emergency calls in Phil Campbell.
At the end of the discussion, Mays ask Brian if North Star would be willing to station a 24-hour truck in the city limits of Phil Campbell.
The fate of the council's motion was ultimately to be decided at Thursday's 911 Board meeting.
In other business, fire chief Steve Bell reported that five to six thousand dollars worth of turnout gear and radios had been returned to the fire department by former firefighters.
The council also voted to place Dale Moody on the Park and Recreation Board. Moody will replace Patricia Gentry, who resigned her position.
In other business, the council also voted to give police chief Merrell Potter a $150 clothing allowance for officer Terrell Potter. Terrell Potter was hired on a part-time basis, but Mays said he has been working full-time as of late and needed more than two shirts.
Finally, the council voted to pay the bills due.