By STEPHANIE SUMMERS
Hartford Courant (Connecticut)
Copyright 2006 The Hartford Courant Company
All Rights Reserved
The town council on Monday night approved a four-year contract with the Coventry Volunteer Fire Association to provide ambulance service to residents.
The town had been operating under a contract that expired in 2000.
The new contract updates wording, earmarks $35,000 a year to be set aside for ambulance replacement and changes the contract term from one year to four.
Town Manager John Elsesser said the contract gives the association an exclusive franchise and ``gives us certain rights in exchange for that,’' including reports on average response time and volume of calls.
Fire Chief Joseph Carilli told the council the department handles about three medical calls a day, often with help from volunteers at the North Coventry Volunteer Fire Department.
The ambulance service is paid for through insurance recovery revenues, but the town insures the two vehicles, provides worker’s compensation coverage for ambulance personnel and guarantees it will cover potential budget shortfalls.
Asked by Councilman Thomas Pope about the need for two fire departments in town, Carilli said each has its specialty. ``We’re more specialized in the medical field. They’re more specialized in the rescue field.’' He and association president George Savoie said cross-training in both fields is too time-consuming for most volunteers.
The North Coventry department is seeking funding for a new garage and facility expansion to accommodate its larger, modern trucks and provide office and training space. The state recently announced a $400,000 grant toward that, and a building committee has been formed.
Carilli thanked the council for its work on the contract and credited past leaders of his department for their work as well.