By Leigh Jones
The Daily News

Published February 11, 2009

GALVESTON — The island’s post-storm population drop and the closure of the University of Texas Medical Branch emergency room have left Galveston County’s emergency medical service hurting for business.

During the last three months of 2008, the agency’s ambulances responded to 35 percent fewer emergency calls than they did during the same period the year before.

They also responded to 85 percent fewer calls for transfer service, the side of the agency’s business that used to make up for any losses in revenue from 911 calls.

Under the agency’s contract with the city to provide ambulance service to the island, the city is required to make up any budget shortfalls up to $225,000.

During today’s council meeting, the agency will ask for the maximum contribution to cover losses from fiscal 2007-08, which ended just after Hurricane Ike made landfall Sept. 13.
But city officials are looking ahead to the end of this year, when losses could be much worse.

The agency has reduced the level of service on the island, moving one transfer ambulance and one emergency response ambulance to other areas, Chief Operating Officer Jay Holland said.

Even with fewer vehicles, the service is still able to meet the island’s needs because of the reduced population, he said.

But the future of the medical branch leaves a big question mark over the rest of this year’s budget, Chief Financial Officer Kathy Barroso said.

“Ninety percent of our transport business came from the medical branch,” she said. “Some of that’s coming back, but it’s nothing like it was.”For More Information Contact:

kkoopman@gchd.org