Great Bend Fire Department Chief Brent Smith said his department has been working to reduce a recent trend of increased call volume. This week he told the Great Bend City Council how a community paramedicine program is helping.

“We work with Clara Barton Hospital,” he said. “We meet about once a month.” Nurses and social workers help Great Bend EMTs gather information when they find themselves answering repeat calls from a given address.

“If we find it’s somebody that just needs help – not necessarily our help, but just help – we work with them.” After gathering information and conducting a site visit, the responders may be able to steer the person to other available resources. For example, finding out how to put grab handles in a bathroom may help avoid future falls.

Smith said councilman Alan Moeder first asked about the GBFD’s increased call volume last month. Last week, he worked with Moeder and City Administrator Brandon Anderson on a particular case.

“(We) worked on one resident that we’ve been going to at least 10 times a week. We worked with them to find them some alternatives, working with churches and Medicare, Medicaid, and this kind of stuff. Since our last meeting, we haven’t been back,” Smith said, adding he hoped that was an indication of success. “I plan on going by there (Tuesday) just to visit and make sure that they are getting the help they need. We did tell them – it’s not that we’re not coming, it’s that we need better help for them, not just relying on us.”

Smith added, “If we don’t go as often we assume it’s a win for the citizen and us.

Brush truck

In his report to the Great Bend City Council, Smith also said the fire department recently got its three-quarter ton truck back with a new bed for the GBFD brush truck they are building in-house. This week they mounted the tank and pump with plans to have it in service the first part of next week, ahead of the Fourth of July and grass fire season.

Smith also reported that last week Great Bend hosted the Kansas State Fire Chiefs Association meeting.

“It was a well-attended meeting,” he said. “The last meeting in Kansas City drew 40 fire chiefs from around the state; we had 33. The big topic was the new OSHA standard for emergency response.

In the office, Smith said, staff have been going through old files, digitizing records for retention and then making sure the written records are properly disposed of.