Published: December 16, 2008 11:16 pm      

Commerce Fire Department added as first responder

GREENVILLE — After several months of heated discussion among various factions in Commerce, the Hunt Memorial Hospital District board of trustees accepted a recommendation from the City of Commerce to make the Commerce Fire Department a member of the HMHD first responder organization during Tuesday night’s board meeting.

Richard Carter, HMHD’s chief executive officer, spoke on behalf of adding the fire department saying that he had held multiple conversations, over a several month period, with the fire department, the city and Commerce E-Corps.

“We’ve had some good conversations, some terse conversations and some controversial conversations,” Carter explained. “The city basically authorized the fire department to be the primary first responders in the city. (The fire department) came and met with the EMS advisory board. All are giving the fire department the thumbs up.”

However, Carter said he had some misgivings about what the decision would do to the long term viability of E-Corps, which still answers emergency calls outside the Commerce city limits. “(It) may have an impact outside Commerce,” he said, adding that the city stressed it wanted to enhance the system, not do away with E-Corps.

He also said that the fire department was not requesting any subsidy. “They just wanted to be a part of a greater organization,” Carter said. “EMS is also very much in favor of this.”

Carter also touched on the change to a non-smoking hospital district which will occur on January 1. He said that the city of Greenville has passed an ordinance in support of the district efforts which will make enforcement possible. But Carter said the City of Commerce will not be able to act on an ordinance until the city’s council meets in January. HMHD’s ban will prohibit smoking on all campuses, both indoors and outdoors

The board approved purchase of anesthesia machines, and a blood gas analyzer.