Private ambulance bill gets GFD's support
Guam Fire Department Acting Fire Chief Joey San Nicolas supports the measure, however has reservations on areas of the bill that could affect GFD's eligibility for grants.
By KUAM Newsby Nick Delgado
Guam - Legislation that would allow private ambulances to make emergency runs went up for a public hearing today. Bill 339 introduced by Senator Dennis Rodriguez Jr. updates Guam's emergency medical care and ambulances services, and places it in line with the national standards. Guam Fire Department Acting Fire Chief Joey San Nicolas supports the measure, however has reservations on areas of the bill that could affect GFD's eligibility for grants.
He said, "The 2009 and 2010 assistance to fire fighters grant that is intended to purchase ambulances and medical equipment and the 2011 AFG partially intended to purchase five ALS defibrillators, this section may not allow GFD to use grants such as these for the purpose of EMS, this section may also bar the GFD from applying to other similar grants for this purpose for EMS."
With the current shortage of ambulances on the island, Rodriguez is hopeful the measure will make it on this month's session agenda so that more medical transports can be provided through the private vendors.