County names new interim EMS chief
Staff writer
After serving as ambulance director for a year and interim director repeated times, Chuck Kenney is glad county commissioners appointed a new interim ambulance director Monday.
Commissioners appointed paramedic Mickey Price, a supervisor in the department, as interim director.
Price has worked for the department for nine years and is a full-time employee.
“I’m hoping to do a good job for the citizens of Marion County,” Price said.
He is uncertain whether he would consider becoming permanent department head.
“I would be open to it, but there are some things we would have to talk about,” Price said.
The county has hired five ambulance directors in seven years.
Kenney was interim director after Travis Parmley resigned in July, 2022. Parmley’s resignation came after weeks of contention over the department’s policy on transferring patients needing care at larger hospitals.
The next permanent director, Kurt Hasart, spent 10 months on the job, then resigned in September, 2023, while under investigation for not disclosing pending criminal charges against him when he got his Kansas license — which he later lost.
Kenney again was appointed interim director. He became permanent director in October, 2023.
After a year as director, he resigned last September but offered to remain as interim director until a new director was found.
He spent seven months as interim director.
A new director, Kyle Burtch, was hired in April, but withdrew before he put in his first day of work.
Kenney continued as interim director.