Evening journal., 1916-05-27
NEEDrD-A COUNTY AMBULANCE.

NEEDED-A tOi My AMBlLANCE.
ArEw CASTLE COUNTY should have an automobile
~ ambulance to take care Of emergency cases aris-
ing in the rural districts
That ambulance should be stationed in this city or
at the County Hospital at Farnhurst It should be
held at all times for such cases. II sta
toned at Farnhurst there should be resident phys-
clan and surgeon there TO accompany it and to give
first aid and subsequent aid to the patients 1t
ries II stationed here other arrangements, less
pcnsive, could be made
Those thoughts inspired by the criticism that at
present is being directed against the Phoenix Fire
Company OF this city OF its refusal to send
its ambulance over to Castle handle cases
Of certain persons who had been injured in auto
mobile accident The fact that one Of those persons
lost so much blood before priyately-own ambu-
lance finally arrived that he died shortly after his
rival i'm This city has accentuated that criticism
which, think when all things are taken into con-
sidcration, is deserved.
The Phoenix Company owns two automobile ambu-
lances and one horso-drawn ambulance. The last
named vehicle is out Of service The two motor
driven machines are maintained for city service
There is a rule that they shall not go outside the city
TO handle cases AS general thing that rule is
rgidy adhered to by the company, Notwithstanding
that from time to time it has been criticized for such
adherence Tho ground taken by the company is that
II the ambusnces to respond TO outside calls it
would leave this city, in which there ten times
unprotected in the matter of proper service. II
also Is felt that if the company to take some
outside cases and refuse to take others it would re-
suit In deserved criticism result of such an in
consistent policy Therefore the rule is that the SER
vice of the ambulances shall be restricted to the
metropolitan district
New Castle county is a rich and populous section
of our State has several large towns in 1t besides
Wilmington. Our city contributes on. the average fully
fvyo- hfrda of all he
nothing like wothrls of the county expenditures. In
addition II is the only municipality in the entire
county that maintains n public hospital. We fail to
see why it should be expected to supply free am
buancc to the rural districts after bearing the
brunt Of financing those districts and supplying pub
lie hospital service TO thom
As VIC view it, it is time for them TO do something
for themselves in that respect The body through
which il should be done is the Levy Court Let
county ambulance service he established with suit
able working radius our county distances are not
great from Wilmington or Farnhurst suitable county
ambul ncc. properly manned and equipped would be
able to handle all such cases just as we'll the VIII
mington ambuanccs could do it and then both the
metropolitan and tho rural sections Of our county
! would be protected. There also various munci-
! patos in the rural districts which might con-
tribute the county part of The expense of the main
tenance of such a service So far Wilmington is
affected 1t would contribute. under the county tax
rate two-thirds Of the expenses, anyway
The Levy Court should lose no time in taking up
this matter II is right for It TO leave the rural
districts unprotected nor is 1t right for the rural
districts TO expect the PhoenX Fire Company or any
other wilmington agency TO supply to those districts
a service which they through themselves and theii
municipalities should supply for themselves
Il is regrettable Of course. that accidents in
the rural districts II also is regrettabe that VIII
mington its way clear TO handle re-
sulting from such accidents II is better however
that there be a fair and square understanding be-
tween the two sections to the end that each may
shoulder its fair share Of responsibility for sim
lister results that may attend lack Of proper SER
vice