State identifies 9 faults
Staff writer
Although ambulance director Curt Hasart, whose last day on the job will be Sept. 20, told county commissioners last week that an annual state inspection came out well, an inspection report states otherwise.
An Aug. 24 inspection of Marion County’s ambulance department found nine deficiencies ranging from minor to more serious, according to documents requested by the newspaper under the Kansas Open Records Act.
Unit 1, based in Peabody, had a check-engine light on. Staff told inspectors the ambulance had a weak injector. Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services ordered the vehicle to be evaluated by a certified mechanic and a report of detailed findings sent to the board by Sept. 21.
Unit 2, a backup based in Hillsboro, was out of service at a mechanic shop. Medications and fluids had not been removed from the ambulance before it was taken to the shop. Ambulance director Hasart was instructed to immediately remove the items from the vehicle.
A fire extinguisher in Unit 6, based in Tampa, was loose in the driver compartment and had to be relocated to an outside compartment.
Unit 6 and Unit 5, based in Hillsboro, contained expired medications and supplies. That problem was corrected while inspectors were on site.
Unit 6’s portable suction device was inoperable. The problem was corrected.
Unit 5 had an unsecured jump bag in its patient compartment. A jump bag is a portable supply kit carried by a paramedic or emergency medical technician EMT when he or she leaves the ambulance to approach a patient. The problem was corrected while inspectors were on site.
Unit 5 also had an expired license plate. That, too was corrected.
Inspectors found no deficiencies with Unit 4, based in Marion.
A list of vehicle equipment signed by the ambulance director and submitted to the state board was not current. Hasart was to revise it and submit a correct list by today.
Under state board rules, if an ambulance service changes its medical protocols or equipment list, a copy of those changes must be submitted to the board within 15 days of the change.