Mr. Floyd outlines ambulance upgrades and steps to secure narcotics licenses for Washington County EMS

Mr. Floyd, who was asked by the chair to report to the board, said Washington County EMS had deposits for February of $94,002.58 and a total run volume of 213 calls. He told the meeting the county has ordered a new chassis and remount for an ambulance and gave a preliminary completion date “of 2027,” while adding the unit "could come maybe a little sooner" and that delivery might be "early to midwinter of next year."

Floyd said the service recently received five blanket warmers under a grant from the Southern Tract Advisory Committee through the Indiana Department of Health and that those units were obtained “no cost to the county.” He said the warmers have been placed on trucks to help patients with trauma and hypothermia.

On narcotics purchasing, Floyd told the board the Indiana Board of Pharmacy is requiring ambulance services to obtain their own controlled-substance registration (CSR) numbers so they can order and control medications directly rather than relying on hospital pharmacists. He described the process as involving paperwork, a state application, a federal registration and a site inspection. "The fee to apply to the state for the CSR number…is $100," he said, "and the federal number…is $888," noting those are the upfront application fees the service will need to submit.

Floyd said the service already has security cameras in place but will need a lockable, temperature-controlled refrigerator to store some medications prior to the site visit. He cautioned that applications can take time — he relayed that the state processing can be "15 to 20 business days" before an inspector schedules a site visit — and said he has not personally been contacted by state inspectors about a strict March 16 deadline that appears on the IDHS pharmaceuticals web page.

Board members discussed options for acquiring the refrigerator and potential minor facility modifications such as window bars if inspectors require them. Floyd said he would look for a suitable, tax-exempt vendor and could fund an initial purchase from existing budget lines if needed, though he flagged that the service may ask for a budget adjustment in the next cycle.

The meeting then moved on to routine items and adjourned after a motion to adjourn was made and seconded; the chair recorded the motion as "made by Gerald, second by Tony."