Activity everywhere this week concerning the EMS and 911 service and what we can expect in the future.

You know it is scary when you think of having an ambulance service available only by a telephone number someone is passing out.

That has been one suggestion as the ambulance service says it will no longer operate the 911 service.

Many residents here can remember when there was no ambulance service except what the funeral homes provided or some private carrier with little or no training. The 911 service of a night depended upon how many hours the late Welby Hoover could go without rest and this was voluntary.

Time is running short and it appears the county and both city leaders have struck upon a plan.

This plan appears to be much like the organization we had  a few years ago prior to the agreement to merge the ambulance and 911 services.

A new board will be appointed to oversee the ambulance operation and a new committee will be appointed to oversee the 911 service with the county and both cities making financial contributions.

Great. But without future budgets, without future operating costs and etc., how do we know these contributions are sufficient and how do we know how to plan without the answers.

We have stated previously we believe some professional consultant needs to be employed and these two vital services planned in a proper and precise manner.

There is still a lawsuit pending against the service for misuse of funds embedded in this situation plus this revamping issue.

This issue would likely not be with us today, if there had been more planning and less politics at the time of the previous merge and change.