Boyceville ambulance board gives positive annual review for EMS chief
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
BOYCEVILLE — The Boyceville Community Ambulance District Board has given a positive annual performance review for Wayne Dow, director of the ambulance service.
Peter Score, representative for the Town of Sheridan and chair of the ambulance district board, said Dow could choose whether to have his annual review conducted in closed or open session, and Dow chose open session at the ambulance board’s January 4 meeting.
Score said he wanted to conduct the chief’s review at the January 4 meeting rather than wait until April for the review because of the spring election.
If the board waits until April, there could be different people serving on the ambulance board, and the review will be more effective if it is conducted by people who have served on the board over the past year and are familiar with Dow’s performance and the work of the ambulance district, he said.
The review involved a series of questions or responses to statements.
• The ambulance director shall be a licensed Advanced-EMT. — Yes. Dow is licensed.
• The ambulance director must meet with the EMS board of directors. — Yes. Dow meets with the board monthly — or will meet with the board quarterly now since the board has approved going to quarterly meetings.
• The ambulance service director must maintain the license of the service. — Yes. Dow has maintained the ambulance service’s license.
• The ambulance director must meet with local, regional and state EMS representatives and must meet with the Dunn County EMS chiefs at their meetings. — Dow said he has been able to attend several of the chiefs’ meetings, and if he has not been able to attend the meetings, he has been able to review the minutes from the meetings he was unable to attend.
• Schedules staff to cover shifts. — Yes. Dow has been scheduling staff to the best of his ability with the staff that is available.
• Submits reports and information to billing agencies. — Yes.
• Meets with the medical director every two months. — Yes.
• Supervises monthly meetings and staff training. — Yes.
• Recruits new EMTs and maintains the roster. — Yes.
• Delegates duties to keep the service running smoothly. — Yes. Desirae Laursen, who started as an EMR and is now an EMT, has been doing a wonderful job with the inventory and making sure expired items are replaced, Dow said.
• Maintains a professional organization at all times. — Dow has maintained good relationships with the hospitals and makes sure patients are taken care of, Score said.
Chuck Siler, representative for the Town of Tiffany and chair of the Boyceville fire district board, noted that there has been a rift between the fire department and the ambulance service since before Dow started as EMS chief.
The fire district board has appointed a new fire chief, and Siler asked Dow if he could help strengthen the relationship between the two services.
Dow said he would call the new fire chief.
The Tribune Press Reporter has e-mailed an open records request for the two complaints filed by Boyceville EMTs against former fire chief Cory Green and has asked for a copy of Green’s letter of resignation but had not yet received any information at press time.
The roster numbers have increased, the percentage of coverage time has increased, and that has been while Dow was facing adversity, Score said.
“It tells me all I need to know,” he said.
Lukas Montgomery, Boyceville village president, commended Dow for his work with the ambulance service and said he has no idea how Dow has managed to stick with it under the circumstances but that the residents of Boyceville and the ambulance district have benefitted from Dow’s expertise and willingness to stay on the job.
The Boyceville Ambulance District Board unanimously approved Dow’s annual review.
The Boyceville ambulance board meets next on April 12 at 7 p.m. at the Boyceville Village Hall on Charlotte Street.