Villagers sent a message loud and clear Wednesday night that they want the Sumter County Commission to put ambulance service under The Villages Public Safety Department.
The residents spoke out before the Ad Hoc Fire, EMS and Medical Transport Committee which met at the Wildwood Community Center.
Two weeks earlier, the committee voted to preserve the independent futures of The Villages Public Safety Department and Sumter County Fire Rescue, rejecting suggestions from County Administrator Bradley Arnold that the two fire departments be merged. The committee also voted to take the service currently operated by private contract under American Medical Response and specifically put it under the county with a county-run ambulance service with county employees.
In the two weeks since that ad hoc committee meeting, Villagers have seized on Option 9 of Arnold’s menu of possibilities, which would put the ambulance service under the respective fire departments. Last week, the Village Center Community Development District Board of Supervisors voted to endorse that option.
When the ad hoc committee met Wednesday night, once again a long line of speakers rose to call for the ambulance service to be handed over to the fire departments.
“The current situation is terrible and that’s why we are all here,” said Paul Carpenter of the Village of Pine Ridge, a former volunteer fireman in Pennsylvania.
Carpenter was referring to the now-well-documented stories of Villagers waiting an hour or more for the arrival of an AMR ambulance to provide transport to a medical facility.
Marilyn DeVries of the Village of Rio Ranchero has lived in Florida’s Friendliest Hometown long enough to remember when it was served by the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department. DeVries has the painful memory of a fellow resident sitting with her deceased husband waiting for the arrival of the volunteers. She praised the evolution of The Villages Public Safety Department and suggested it’s a no brainer to have its professionals take over the ambulance service.
Split committee not willing to change its mind
Despite the pleas from the public, the committee was not ready to change from its position of two weeks earlier.
Chairman David Bussone and member Gail Lazenby, both Villagers, appeared ready to move ahead with Option 9, but were outnumbered by fellow committee members Jeffrey Bogue, Leland Greek and Richard Kleindienst.
Those three said they were interested in “the bigger picture” and said it wasn’t feasible for the two fire departments to go it alone with ambulance services. They wanted to stick with the county-run option as they did two weeks earlier.
Therefore, Bussone’s signature will be on the recommendation letter as seen here:
The letter will be considered by the commission at its Oct. 12 meeting.
Although the letter will bear his signature, Bussone said he plans to approach the podium during the public comment section of the meeting and speak against the county-run option. Instead, he will endorse Option 9.
Below is a list of the ad hoc committee members and the commissioners who appointed them:
• District 1: Richard Kleindienst (Commissioner Gary Search)
• District 2: Leland Greek (Commissioner Doug Gilpin)
• District 3: Gail Lazenby (Commissioner Craig Estep)
• District 4: Jeffrey Bogue (County Chairman Garry Breeden)
• District 5: David Bussone (Commissioner Oren Miller)
