The Daily Herald has an article about the Village of Antioch and the Antioch Rescue Squad
The contentious relationship between Antioch officials and the Antioch Rescue Squad has flared, with the village threatening a lawsuit over advertised services it says created a potentially dangerous situation.
The village notified state authorities and issued a cease-and-desist order after learning of the flier, which it says was distributed last week to an unknown number of people including seniors and disabled citizens.
In the flier, ARS claimed to be able to provide emergency medical services within the village, and residents were directed to call a 10-digit number with the promise a 911 dispatcher would send an ambulance.
The rescue squad is composed of volunteers that for 73 years had provided emergency services within the village, but that relationship ended June 1. The village now contracts with Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service for emergency rescue service in town. The Antioch Rescue Squad provides emergency services only in unincorporated areas in Antioch Township.
According to the rescue squad, no more than 30 copies of the flier were set on a table at the Antioch Township center. Remaining fliers were removed after the village alerted the squad, although 21 fliers could not be collected.
Even if the two-call system worked, according to village officials, several dangerous situations could arise, including a delay that could cost lives and no chance of finding the caller if there is a hang-up or dropped call.
Citizens should call 911 in an emergency, Mayor Lawrence Hanson said Tuesday in a statement.
In a letter Tuesday to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the rescue squad explained its actions, saying it had tried to establish a system for nonemergency care of village residents,
The squad acknowledged it mistakenly said it could provide emergency care in the village, which is not the case. It also said the directive that a 911 dispatcher would send an ambulance was a misstatement, as the contract with a 911 dispatch agency had not been finalized.
Arrangements have been made for calls to the 10-digit number to be forwarded to 911 for proper handling, according to the village.
The rescue squad says it does not collect tax money and provides its service for free. Village officials say taxpayers contributed an estimated $70,000 to $80,000 per year in fuel, rent, dispatch and other services.
Previous articles about the relationship between the village and the rescue squad can be found HERE and HERE.
#1 by mathew on July 11, 2013 - 5:54 AM
Jim’s
Is the Antioch fire dept better?
#2 by jim b on July 9, 2013 - 4:09 PM
I think more places should be run like ARS…sex at work, misuse of drugs with your coffee. Mathew, do you have the FACTS?
#3 by FFEMT on July 9, 2013 - 2:45 AM
I am sorry, my comment was to be directed towards Matthew…my mistake.
#4 by FFEMT on July 9, 2013 - 2:44 AM
Jim–
If you’re going to berate somebody for exercising their first amendment right, you might want to at least ATTEMPT to use proper grammar. Just a hint.
#5 by Jim on July 8, 2013 - 5:57 PM
Mathew,
Thanks for letting me know which things I said were false. I try to go the source when getting information.
#6 by Bill on July 8, 2013 - 5:47 PM
Jim as a resident has the right to speak. I think he gave a fair opinion that showed good an bad for both. If that hurt you oh well.
#7 by mathew on July 8, 2013 - 4:07 PM
Dear Jim
please don’t write things that are false about the Antioch rescue squad. you do not know what you are talking about. thanks.
#8 by Jim on July 7, 2013 - 4:34 PM
Mathew,
I am not speaking for the Antioch Fire Department. I am not an Antioch firefighter. I am a resident and taxpayer in the Village of Antioch. Please explain how I could be in trouble with my boss? This is a public forum and I was responding to the article. I believe I have the freedom of speech. I believe the Village is looking at the big picture. The rescue squad is a private organization that the Village had contracted out to provide ems services. After all the lawsuits and wrongdoing they put the rescue squad on notice that unless they shaped up, they would be replaced. The rescue squad did not in the eyes of the Village so they were replaced. I salute the rescue squad for holding on as long as they did. But let’s not give the rescue squad a soft landing under the guise of being volunteer and doing it for free. They don’t do it for free. They bill for services. I know because they told me they did. They are misrepresenting the facts to a lot of people. I would hope the Village now progresses more and hires full time firefighter/paramedics. Its what the community deserves.
#9 by ffpm571 on July 7, 2013 - 2:25 PM
Antioch Rescue has been a good ol’ boy department for years. That’s what got them in this spot. Lack of leadership, covering up for screw ups, Theft by management, sexual harassment, Ect… You wanted to be treated and respected as professionals by the people of your district, then act like it. Every other fire department/district in the Northern suburbs has taken over EMS .. McHenry/Johnsburg, Lake villa, Marengo, Richmond seem to have no problems with taking over EMS..
#10 by mathew on July 7, 2013 - 10:20 AM
The first person that wrote Jim I don’t think you are the person to speak for the Antioch fire dept. And I think you could be in trouble for your comment by your boss. so unless you have and want to tell the entire story please keep you thoughts to your self. If you really want the story you have to find someone with out a agenda behind what they say. Both the village of Antioch and the Antioch rescue squad are making big mistakes. The problem is pboth don’t really want to lose face. I have to say that for a group to go out and help a community the way the Antioch rescue squad has served us you have to give them a lot of respected. I think the idea to make sure that the community has good EMS is only good for us. If the village board has put a agenda that is not for only having good EMS shame on them. and if the Antioch rescue squad is not forth coming on information on EMS to the village shame on them. For me I am just disappointed from both sides but more on the village for not looking at in the big picture. I thought we elected these people to lead and not run down good people only helping the community. what’s next for the village board to go after
#11 by Jim on July 6, 2013 - 10:20 PM
I think its about time Antioch gets serious about fire and ems protection. If old Antioch wants a “volunteer” ambulance that does it for “free,” that’s fine but for the taxes I pay I think full time fire and ems is the way to go and I don’t mean a contract service. Also the rescue squad bills, so it isn’t free. Enough of the small town politics.
#12 by Ted on July 6, 2013 - 5:13 PM
Antioch needs to be outsourced for everything fire n ems that would solve the issure