ST. GEORGE – Over 200 people showed up to the public comment portion of a hearing Monday night that will decide whether Dixie Ambulance Service remains the emergency medical service for the St. George area, or is replaced by Gold Cross Ambulance. By a show of hands, the majority of those in attendance at the hearing were in favor of Dixie Ambulance, while only between seven and eight were in support of Gold Cross.
Attorney Max Miller, the presiding officer over the hearings taking place this week, opened the public comment meeting shortly after 6 p.m.
“I’m quite overwhelmed by the public turn out,” he said. Once seats were filled, people began to line the walls.
Miller told the crowd the hearing was to determine “what is in the best public interest of the community” as far as ambulance service is concerned. He also noted the application put forth by Gold Cross is for the St. George area alone, and not the surrounding cities and areas Dixie Ambulance also services – such as Washington City, Hurricane, Ivins, Enterprise, and so forth.
How ambulance service could be affected in the outlying communities should Gold Cross be approved for St. George proper is one of many factors officials will consider when making their final decision, Miller said. The same applies to the public comment hearing – just another one of many factors to be considered in the overall recommendation to be made to the state.
From the community
As the comment period officially opened, over 50 people got up to speak. Many were either former transport patients of Dixie Ambulance, or had friends or family members who had been transported. Others were past and present employees of Dixie Ambulance, friends or family members of the owners, had worked with the ambulance service in some capacity, or were municipal and county officials. All shared a common message of support for Dixie Ambulance.
Dr. Michael Tremea, an emergency medical physician, spoke for the Southwest Emergency Physicians group and said, “We are in support of Dixie Ambulance.” Tremea said doctors deal with Dixie Ambulance on a daily basis and are impressed with their “compassionate” service and the “extra mile” its people took to ensure quality patient care.
“We don’t see a need for change,” Tremea said.
Enterprise city council member Ronald Lehm, who oversees EMT and fire department services, said his people work “hand-in-hand with Dixie Ambulance every day.” He also said the areas outside of St. George need the support of Dixie Ambulance. “These places rely on Dixie Ambulance like we do.”
He said, “If it’s not broke, then don’t fix it.”
Gail Bunker, member of the City of St. George city council, said she did not speak on behalf of the council or Washington County, but as a citizen. In the nine years she has served on the city council, she said she has never heard one complaint against Dixie Ambulance.
“We need to have the very best service and, in all honesty, we have it,” Bunker said.
Dean Cox, Washington County Administrator, said he didn’t fault Gold Cross for wanting to “cherry-pick” the “wonderful plum” that is the St. George market. However, he had past history with Dixie Ambulance, having been the county’s first emergency services director, and said he is impressed with and supports their work.
Many times, the matter of Dixie Ambulance’s response time was brought up, and each time it was mentioned, a positive reply was given.
Mac Miller, son of Mike Miller, general manager of Dixie Ambulance, said he had heard lawyers in a previous hearing say the owners of Dixie Ambulance – Mike Miller and Tony Randall – lack integrity and moral character.
“They are two of the most honest and trustworthy people,” you could ever meet, Mac Miller said.
Others spoke to the character of the owners. One woman said she was “furious” someone would attack their integrity.
Sam Hales, of St. George, said he worked with Tony Randall and got to know him very well. “He’s got the greatest integrity,” he said. “The weight of the evidence is we need to keep Dixie (Ambulance).”
Kelly Casey said he knows the Miller and Randall families and supports Dixie Ambulance. “I appreciate the service Dixie Ambulance provides to the community … I don’t think you’ll get the same service from Gold Cross,” he said.
Tony Randall said how grateful he and Dixie Ambulance are for the support: “We’re truly grateful at Dixie Ambulance for our community; our community in which we live; our community in which we serve …”
What next?
After the meeting Randall said it was hard to say how much of an impact the public support will have on the overall hearing. “It’s up in the air,” he said.
The heart of Dixie Ambulance’s business is located in St. George, Randall said. Should the state give Gold Cross the license for the area, he didn’t know how long Dixie Ambulance would survive, or just how service to the outer communities would be impacted.
As to the outpouring of public support, Kaden Randall, Tony Randall’s son, said it was “very nice and comforting.”
“(Tony Randall) always has that pager with him,” Kaden Randall said. He said that every time the pager goes off, no matter where he is, Tony Randall will rush to the scene of an accident.
Max Miller, who described his role as the judge in the case between Gold Cross and Dixie Ambulance, said the hearing will continue. When a member of the crowd asked how much impact public comment could actually have on the final recommendation to the state, Max Miller said it is only one of many factors that will be considered. Other factors include response times, financial solvency, standard of patient care and so forth.
“The decision will be made upon the law and the evidence,” the attorney, acting as judge, said.
Related posts:
Perspectives: Making sense of the ambulance war
Ambulance war scapegoat? St. George Dispatch responds to hearing testimony
Ambulance war: Broken system, dispatch delays? Decision pending
Ambulance war: Contest for territory raises solvency, staffing issues at hearing
Public hearing to discuss ambulance service in St. George; Dixie Ambulance receives negative audit
Dixie Ambulance Voices its Opinion on Gold Cross’ Application; Gold Cross Says System is Broken
Letter to the Editor: Consider the Cost
Gold Cross Could Replace Dixie Ambulance if Application is Approved
Gold Cross Submits Application to Provide 911 Ambulance Services in St. George
Ed. Note: Names in the article have been corrected.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @MoriKessler
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2012, all rights reserved.
Mori Kessler, I’m sorry, but you don’t even have peoples names correct maybe you should work on your reporting skills! That’s Doug Ellett, former owner of Dixie, not Deltorro!! And it’s NOT Mike Randall! It’s Tony Randall & Mike Miller, you moron!!
Corrections made, Mitch. Thank you for bringing these to our attention.
D^*#, calm down, Mitch! Why the need for name calling? Nice reflection on yourself!
Of course the old time locals are for Dixie over Gold Cross, anything with the name Dixie! Lol
Yeah, I’m personally offended by the name Dixie Ambulance… it’s time to be more politically correct around here. I suggest something like ‘People Movers Ambulance’, or maybe ‘Red Storm Ambulance’. However, given that Gold Cross mentions a cross that could be associated with Christian symbolism, they should change their name too. So disrespectful.
Ed. Note: Comment removed at the request of Marcus.
Marcus,
I am not either a friend, neighbor, employee, officer, shareholder or family member. In fact, I have never met the owners of Dixie Ambulance or know them personally, or anybody connected with Dixie Ambulance.
I knew about the public hearing because it was published online and is a legal requirement to be provided in the form of a public notice. I assure you, there were many who attended that hearing and who are still watching this issue because we are concerned citizens of St. George.
I feel as the greatest “conflict of interest” is on the other side. Steve Urquhart, as a State Senator, and as the person who brought this issue to Southern Utah, as he stated himself, created a “conflict of interest” issue all citizens should care about. The fact that a state legislator who himself has received campaign contributions from Gold Cross Ambulance, represents Gold Cross in a hearing, is likely in direct violation of the Utah State Legislature’s JR6-1-102 – Code of Official Conduct. Our state leaders need to be involved in bigger issues that affect our entire state and our country, not participating in an attempt to destroy a local business.
The other serious “conflict of interest” is that Michael Moffitt, President of Gold Cross, is an EMS committee member, and member of the rules revision task force of the Bureau of Emergency Services, a Utah Department of Health agency. That is the very agency to which the City of St. George relinquished the decision about which ambulance services provider they use. Michael Moffitt is the only private ambulance services provider who serves on the EMS Committee.
No local government should be turning over power to the state, another reason we should all as citizens be concerned.
That you would begin a personal attack by starting a Facebook Page is your right; however, don’t you think it is reasonable that you would at least identify who you are so that the very citizens to whom you make your appeal may evaluate your personal motives?
I rather like the idea of a Facebook Page entitled “Dixie Citizens for Truth.” If I was to begin a page as that, I would never use it to attack any individual. I would use it in a civil manner, with the intent to expose real truth which affects and impacts all of us – truth about unethical and back-door political maneuvering.
Ed. Note: Comment removed at the request of Marcus.