Parish Council OKs change in ambulance agreement
The St. Mary Parish Council on Wednesday approved a change in its agreement with Acadian Ambulance to give the private emergency service provider more flexibility in how it responds, despite concerns about maintaining the appropriate level of care.
Also Wednesday, Henry C. “Bo” LaGrange announced his retirement after 33 years in parish government, the last 27 of them as chief administrative officer. The council had also heard that Homeland Security Director David Naquin is retiring. And Scott Ramsey of Bayou Vista announced that he won’t seek re-election to the council.
Acadian
agreement
Acadian cited continuing staffing shortages as it sought an amendment to its agreement with St. Mary Parish to allow wider use of basic life support ambulances for transporting patients.
BLS ambulances are staffed by emergency medical technicians, who receive training in noninvasive procedures. Advanced life support ambulances are staffed by paramedics, who receive hundreds of hours of additional training and are empowered to perform more advanced procedures, including administering medication and starting IVs.
Acadian’s request raised concerns on the council about the continuing availability of ALS ambulance service in the parish. Teddy Crochet, of Acadian’s Bayou Region, told
the council March 22 that the contract amendment wouldn’t affect ALS availability.
Centerville firefighter Brandon Lejeune, who raised the question of ALS availability March 22, came back Wednesday to say that after he reviewed the amendment, he believes the amendment adds service rather than reducing it.
But an email from Dr. Steve Domingue, medical director at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City, objected to the amendment and argued that even transporting patients from one facility to another can require advanced lifesaving.
Dr. Kristi Prejeant Rink, a physician as well as a Parish Council member, also objected, saying it’s important that ambulance transport provide the appropriate level of care.
“All of these patients have the potential for decompensation, whether it’s an inter-hospital transfer or a transfer from the scene,” Rink said.
“Decompensation” is the deterioration of a bodily system that had been functioning adequately.
The council passed the amendment by a 6-1 vote with Councilman Mark Duhon of Amelia abstaining. Council members J Ina and Rodney Olander of Franklin, Patrick
Hebert of Berwick, Gwendolyn Hidalgo of Bayou Vista, and Dean Adams and James Bennett of Morgan City voted for the amendment. Rink voted against it.
Departures
LaGrange’s retirement will be effective at the end of April. He has announced plans to run for the state Senate District 21 seat being vacated by Franklin Republican Bret Allain, who is term-limited. The state Senate primary will be Oct. 14.
LaGrange praised parish employees, state and federal officials, council members and the five parish presidents he has served as CAO for their dedication.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of St. Mary Parish,” LaGrange said.
Parish President David Hanagriff praised LaGrange for his service.
“I keep hearing the same joke he tells, and it’s not a joke by the way, that he’s trained five parish presidents,” Hanagriff said. “I am honored to be the last parish president he’s trained.”
Ramsey is nearing the end of his second stint on the Parish Council. Health problems have led to frequent absences from council meetings in recent months.
“I’ve enjoyed working with everyone,” Ramsey said, “but at some point you have to say enough is enough.”
Ramsey said he hopes to spend more time with his family and to travel.
The next council elections will be Oct. 14.
Naquin, a former St. Mary Parish sheriff, was praised by Hanagriff for “a tremendous job” during recent hurricane scares.
A replacement would be named by chief administrative officer. Hanagriff said Naquin has agreed to stay on until his successor is appointed.
Hanagriff made a pitch for the promotion of assistant Jimmy Broussard to the director’s post.