Wood County Commission President Blair Couch, right, discusses the proposal to purchase six ambulances for Camden Clark Ambulance Service as Commissioners Bob Tebay, left, and Jimmy Colombo listen. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission approved spending just over $900,000 in COVID money to acquire six ambulances to help WVU Medicine Camden Clark provide emergency coverage when St. Joseph’s Ambulance Service closes next week.

St. Joseph’s announced last week it would cease operations on March 31, citing Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements not keeping pace with costs.

To fill the void, Camden Clark’s ambulance service hired 38 new workers last week, most of them from St. Joseph’s, and the county will purchase ambulances from the closing company.

“(Camden Clark) is going to hire and pay these people, and they looked to us to help provide ambulances,” commission President Blair Couch said.

The cost to purchase the ambulances and equip them is $900,309. The money will come from the county’s American Rescue Plan Act money, of which there is about $1.7 million remaining.

WVU Medicine Vice President of Marketing, Business Development and Strategy Marjean Kennedy speaks to Wood County commissioners Monday morning. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

A little over $1.1 million in opioid settlement funds is available, but Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said they have already had requests for that money

“I think that’s (ARPA) where it ought to go,” he said.

Jan-Care Ambulance also has said it will work with the Wood County 911 Center to assist with emergency calls and medical transports.

Marjean Kennedy, vice president of marketing, business development and strategy at Camden Clark, said she expects the transition of St. Joseph’s Ambulance staff to Camden to be seamless.

“We needed those folks who had already been in the field, had the experience,” she said.

WVU Medicine Vice President of Marketing, Business Development and Strategy Marjean Kennedy, front, meets with Wood County Commissioners, back from left, Bob Tebay, Jimmy Colombo and Blair Couch Monday morning at the county courthouse as County Administrator Marty Seufer, right, listens. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Initially the new ambulances will be stationed at the Camden Clark facility near the hospital, but officials are looking at where else to place them. Kennedy said one will be stationed in Williamstown, as St. Joseph’s has done.

“If we space the ambulances out in the community, it reduces the response time,” Kennedy said.

The hospital and the county will work out an agreement for the ambulances to revert to the county if Camden Clark stops providing the service.

“I think that will be fair, because if you can’t do it, we will probably help somebody else do it,” Colombo said.

Evan Bevins can be reached at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com

Wood County Commissioners Jimmy Colombo, right, asks a question during Monday’s commission meeting as Commissioner Bob Tebay listens. (Photo by Evan Bevins)