KCTCS comments on KBEMS

By JOHN HULTGREN
Kentucky EMS Connection

LOUISVILLE — On May 2, following the reported suspension of Kentucky Board of EMS Executive Director Brian Bishop and board attorney Kyle Thompson, the Kentucky EMS Connection posed three written questions to Kentucky Community and Technical College System Chancellor Dr. Keith Bird. These three questions were answered today by Terri Giltner, the System Director of Marketing for KCTCS, and are printed below in their entirety.

Question 1: Can you confirm and comment on the reported suspension of Kentucky Board of EMS Executive Director Brian Bishop and board attorney Kyle Thompson?

Answer: It is KCTCS policy not to comment on personnel matters.

Question 2: I see that the position for KBEMS executive director was posted after Mr. Bishop resigned his position last month. Can you explain what process will be used to select the new director and who will have the ultimate decision for selecting his replacement?

Answer: Upon receiving Mr. Bishop's resignation letter, I informed the KBEMS Board Chair and met with the Executive and Personnel Committees (meeting jointly) to inquire how they wanted to proceed and to approve the advertisement which had been prepared as a draft by the KCTCS Human Resources Department.

Upon receiving approval and direction from the Executive and Personnel Committees, the KCTCS Human Resources Department posted the job description in the recommended media outlets in addition to those outlets used by KCTCS in accordance with its procedures.

After applications are received by KCTCS, the KBEMS Personnel Committee will interview applicants and recommend at least three for consideration to the KBEMS Board. The KBEMS Board will then select one applicant from those recommended by the committee, pending final approval by KCTCS. The search will continue until the KBEMS Board feels it has identified the best candidate for the Executive Director.

Question 3: A significant number of EMS workers have expressed a concern that KCTCS does not know enough about EMS to effectively manage them. Some even feel that this personnel action is the start of a take-over by the Kentucky Fire Commission. Can you address those concerns and explain what your vision for the Kentucky Board of EMS is?

Answer: KCTCS, as an educational and training institution, has responsibility for a wide range of program, including allied health with all the related programmatic accreditation and certification compliances required.

As is the case nationally, community and technical colleges train the vast majority of first responders in Kentucky and have a long-term relationship with the state fire rescue training program and the Fire Commission.

KCTCS fully understands the responsibility and critical importance of the EMS community. Both KCTCS and the Fire Commission are major players in Kentucky's Homeland Security efforts. In addition, KCTCS regularly administers high-stakes testing and certification throughout the Commonwealth on behalf of its partners including the Kentucky Employability Certificate and the Kentucky Manufacturing Standards Certificate.

Having been asked by the leadership of KBEMS and its Board to become affiliated with KCTCS, our leadership, President Michael McCall and the KCTCS Board of Regents, agreed to proceed based on the comparable mission of both organizations and the successful collaboration between KCTCS and the Fire Commission.

We see the KBEMS Board as the policy driver for the EMS community and our role to provide the support necessary to carry out their mission. Any issues regarding KBEMS and the Fire Commission are appropriate to any discussions that might take place between those two entities with the support of KCTCS.

The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services will continue with its business as usual: licensing, certifying and re-certifying EMS personnel and ambulance services in the same manner that the Board has operated under since its inception.  There will be no lapse in services for these personnel, ambulance services, or providers. 

The administrative function of the Board will be handled by Interim Executive Director J. Ashley Davis, as approved by the KBEMS Personnel Committee, who has been with the Board since its inception as the staff assistant and then Fiscal Operations Manager.  The Daily Operations will be handled by Letch Day who has extensive knowledge as a paramedic, ambulance director, and supervisor of regional EMS advisors and inspectors.  Mr. Day has over 19 years experience in EMS and will work in conjunction with Mr. Davis as a recently certified emergency medical technician in administering the Boards policies

The Board will have a work session at 10 a.m., July 12th, to discuss the development of its Strategic Plan and Mission Statement with the facilitation of KCTCS staff to ensure the level of  planning necessary to implement the policies of the KBEMS  Board and to enable KBEMS and KCTCS to work together to accomplish their goals.

Copyright © 2007 The Kentucky EMS Connection. All rights reserved. News stories may be copyrighted by another organization. Original material may be reproduced provided source is credited.