03/07/2023
Hello everyone. We are writing to inform you that last night, at the Town of Apache’s regularly scheduled meeting, the Town of Apache voted to discontinue its partnership with the Apache Ambulance Service, its nonprofit emergency medical service provider, to partner with another for profit ambulance service. We are disappointed by the Town of Apache’s decision. Still, despite our disagreement, and our not being contracted with the Town of Apache, we aim to see through a smooth transition to the new ambulance service provider as they work to delineate when they are ready to operate in this district at this time.
Apache EMS served this area for over thirty years as a nonprofit entity. We provided numerous free and discounted first aid and medical transport services to the people of the Town of Apache and Caddo County. We took pride in and loved every moment of serving this area. Throughout the years, Apache EMS was called to serve the ever shifting emergency medical needs of both Caddo and Comanche Counties. We provided emergency medical services to Cyril, Cement, Fletcher, Elgin, Sterling, and other unincorporated areas of Caddo and Comanche counties for free when other emergency medical agencies were no longer capable or interested in being the primary ambulance service for these communities. Apache EMS continuously stepped up to answer any call from these communities for over three decades.
Apache EMS worked through and overcame the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to service this area. Our personnel worked diligently to overcome supply shortages, personnel shortages, and increased calls for service during this time. This took heart and tenacity. This took grace, and we are forever indebted to all personnel who served the Apache Ambulance Service for their dedication throughout the unprecedented impact of the pandemic. Overcoming these factors was not easy, and it took its toll on the agency, but as with each challenge Apache EMS has faced over the last thirty years, we delineated a plan to rise above these obstacles to continue service to our Caddo County district.
We are financially solvent. There would have been no service interruptions. We worked through challenges posed by the IRS, correcting and addressing all questions regarding our nonprofit status and financial reports. We responded to and corrected any questions posed by the Town of Apache when they discovered that the Town’s financials, ordinances, and other standards were out of compliance with state regulations and that they would receive an unsatisfactory audit. We want to ensure those we served that the issues experienced by the Town of Apache regarding their own audit were just that, primarily their own. Items like the Town failing to meet the burden of reporting requirements regarding tax funds to the Apache Ambulance Service impacted Apache EMS, but they were not caused by Apache EMS, and the ambulance service maintains a full accounting of how its funds were used throughout this period.
Still, Apache EMS cannot help but feel the Town of Apache used our agency as a scapegoat for their difficulties. After all, this is a town government whose own hired consultant remarked that he has only worked in one community with greater financial impropriety and poor records keeping and that town’s issues were caused by its town hall burning down causing a complete loss of their records. This is also evidenced by inaccurate reporting by KSWO, sourcing town officials without consulting anyone from the Apache Ambulance Service regarding any supposed issue. In the end, small town politics is small town politics and we believe this impacted their decision in awarding the Caddo County contract.
Again, we are thoroughly disappointed by this decision. Our personnel are hurt. Apache EMS loved this service area. We maintained transparent practices and open meetings where everyone could participate and voice their questions, comments, or concerns. We knew our patients and how to swiftly traverse all areas in Caddo County to provide the fastest emergency medical responses. By 2023’s completion; Apache EMS averaged a less than two minutes from dispatch to enroute time and a less than eleven minute enroute to on scene time to the furthest areas of our District. We gave this area our all. We thoroughly appreciate everyone who has supported us and we look forward to whatever transition occurs.
