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Medical program saves lives daily

Each day of the week seas additional "minor miracles" being performed by Panhandle Emergency Medical Services, Inc., a regionwide "system" offering the ultimate in care for emergency patients.

Since the new system of emergency medical services was implemented in 1976, under the auspices of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commision,the ratio of fatalities to injuries as the result of vehicular accidents has been reduced by 18.82 percent (the statewide reduction in fatalIties has been just 5.8 percent, and the Panhandle 8.9 percent).

A reduction in the number of deaths resulting from myocardial in farction (heart attack) has been reduced 15.3 percent(statewide reduc tion is only 9.5 percent), and deaths resulting from attempted suicide have been lowered 16 percent.

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BETTY O'ROURKE

for immediate medical assistance to the patient.

Equipment at the communications center also includes special equipment for communicating with deaf persons in the area, which includes a telewriter for direct access for all emergencies involving the deaf.

But the biggest reduction in deaths has come in the area of high-risk in- Future plans are to provide medifant mortality where a dramatic 34.5 cal "self help" programs-via the telpercent reduction has been recorded ephone-for all choking or drowning in the Texas Panhandle.

The Panhandle EMS, under the able direction of Betty O'Rourke, has provided a variety of services and equipment which has done much to lower the death rate among emergen cy patients during the past three

years.

EMS has provided 31 fully equipped ambulances, a large staff of specially-trained personnel, and a unique medical communications net work that links physicians at the hospital with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT's) both at the scene and while they are en route to the hospital.

The regionwide EMS communications network provides witneswitnesses to an emergency with a single telephone number which they can call for emergency care- simply dial 1-800-682-1331 anywhere in the Texas Panhandle and help will be on the way-immediately.

Once you have stated the problem to the EMS communications dispatcher, the closest available ambulance and/or fire personnel or law enforcement unit will be sent to help.

In the event of a poison or overdose, the dispatcher at the communications center will put you in direct voice contact with the Northwest Texas Hospital Poison Control Center

victims, as well as for heart attack victims, says Ms. O'Rourke.

In the event of a medical emergency, once the EMT has arrived at the scene and assessed and stabalized the patient, he reports the patient's problem-via EMS communications-to arrange for medical readiness at the hospital upon the arrival of the patient.

The EMT also can receive two-way voice medical direction for special care while en route.

Should a patient need specialized personnel or equipment to be transported to the trauma hospital, explains Ms. O'Rourke. "the EMS helicopter is then activated."

At the prsent time, she says, there are over 1,800 residents of the Panhandle mostly volunteers-who have received EMS training.

The EMS training courses have certified 700 Emergency Medical Technicians, as well as 364 emergency care attendants. Other EMS courses include Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Crash Victim Extrication, Coronary Care. Respiratory Care of the High-Risk Infant, and Emergency Department Nursing.

In addition, she points out. the first two I.V. segments for Paramedic training have been initiated by EMS for volunteer EMT's

Alcohol, drug exec aims for prevention

The alcohol and drug abuse programs of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission(PRPC) are un der the direction of Claudia Stuart, who has been in charge of the programs for over two years.

This year, says Ms. Stuart, the emphasis is being shifted away from the care and treatment of alcoholics and drug abusers, into programs that will help prevent people from becoming alcohol-drug abusers in the first place.

"It will be a nationwide program among the various agencies concerned with the problem," she said, including PRPC, which is one of 13 regional bodies in Texas formed to assist with and coordinate such regional programs.

In the 25 counties served by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse program in the Texas Panhandle, she says, there is a total population of 240,237 persons over the age of 14-"of these, 16.817 are alcoholics or drug abusers.

A total of 67,278 familes are affected by the problems created by the alcohol drug abusers, she explained, "with losses to business and industry estimated at $22,075,846 annually This also results in a health and med ical care cost estimated at $16,912,684," she said.

The cost of motor vehicle accidents involving alcohol or drugs in the 25 county area reaches an aver age of $9,600,480, said Ms. Stuart, "and the number of alcohol-drug re lated arrests is set at 11.314, with their related costs to the taxpayer coming to $462,580 on an annual ba sis."

On of the main programs organized to help alcoholics and drug abusers in the Panhandle area is the recently formed Panhandle County Judges Chemical Abuse Service System.

The official organization was formed in February of 1977, she said, although they acted together as a consortium from the Fall of 1976 until formation of the new System.

The various county judges involved with the new program felt there was a need for a treatment center closer to this area, than was the facility at Vernon, which they had to use almost exclusively before formation of the new System,she said.

They felt that having to uproot the alcoholics and drug abusers from their home life created more problems for them than the treatment solved, said Ms. Stuart.

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Potter County had originaily started such a program at what is now the Panhandle Regional Recovery Center, and other counties had utilized the service, she explained. "But in 1977, Potter County officials determined they could no longer afford to operate the center by themselves."

It was at that time that the coun

ties got together and formed the new organization. A total of 21 Panhandle counties are assessed 10-cents per capita for PARC membership.

Potter County contracted with the Panhandle Judges Chemical Abuse Service System for use of the drug and alcohol programs located at the former Amarillo Air Force Base, and the System in turn contracted with the Mental Health-Mental Retardstion program to staff and serve the programs-both contracts are in the process of being renegotiated at this time, she said.

The initial problem faced on a dayto-day basis by the county judges was overcome with the organization of PARC- the problem of what to do with people with drinking and drug problems.

"We felt the necessity of trying to deal with them somehow, rather than just shipping them off," said Dallar County Judge Judy Rebecca King, a member of the System's board of directors. "It was a problem basic to all judges that needed something done.

CLAUDIA STUART

"Potter County was trying to do something about the problem," she explained. "They were attempting to do something about a bothered life. So, by banding together we could now start to do some of the things to help that none of us could afford to do singlehandedly."

The director of PARC is Bill Fras er, who has been associated with PARC for approximately two years. He had served as administrative assistant until his appointment to the directorship.

Warren Jenkins of Lipscomb County serves as chairman of the sevenmember board, which includes Ms. King, Woody Pond of Randall County, Cliff Roberts of Potter. Sarn Morgan of Deaf Smith, Bill Frizzell of Sherman, and Lester Campbell of Hall. The board conducts monthly meetings at the Center, to which the public is always welcome to attend.

The PARC averages between 18 and 23 patients-both male and female

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and has a capacity for treating

Another purpose of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse program of PRPC is to determine which service can best serve the needs of the person involved either with drugs or alcohol.

Director praises

local CETA control

All phases of the Comprehensive Employment& Training Act Bill of 1973, as well as the newly revised CETA Bill this year, are under local control.

"The city and county elected officials have the actual say so on where the CETA money goes-how it is actually spent," says Billy Taylor, Director of Community Services for the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

The CETA Bill of 1973 placed all such training and education programs or disadvantaged in the hands of local elected officials. he pointed out. "With the exception of a few programs which are administered direct ly by the Department of Labor."

In the State of Texas a city or county must have a population of at least 100,000 in order to qualify as a prime sponsor of CETA activities, said Taylor. Towns and communities with less than 100,000 population may join the major city in the formation of an Alliance for the utilization of CETA projects and programs.

"In fact," he said, "even states may be designated a prime sponsor if there is not sufficient population in certain areas and the towns and communities want to be designated a "balance of state" operation which is run out of the governor's office," he said.

The Alliance of the Texas Panhan

dle has designated PRPC to be its ad ministrative unit, said Taylor. PRPC serves as the administrative unit and grant agency to the Alliance for all funds designated for CETA use, says Taylor.

PRPC, as administrative unit also represents the Alliance before the Department of Labor. plans all CETA programs and submits grant applications for the Alliance, and establishes employment and planning councils said Taylor.

PRPC also provides staff support to the Alliance. helps design programs for deuvery systems. maintains program performance, acts as central accounting and payment unit for the Alliance, is the Alliance's central record keeping and recording agency, and supplies overall administrative support to the Alliance.

The Planning Council of the Alliance is comprised of 18 members with the chairman selected by the membership. The Alliance meets in Amarillo on a monthly basis, and the

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public is invited to attend any of their sessions, said Taylor.

The Planning Council is the advisory board to the Alliance. "It makes recomendations to the Alliance, but the Alliance has the final say on all policy decisions," says Taylor.

Last year a total of $6.5 million dollars in grant money was alloted for CETA programs in this region, which involved between 2.500 and 3.000 persons, said Taylor.

Grant monies will go a lot further under the Title II program of the new CETA Bill, he said, which provides for on-the-job training in the private sector of industry and business.

"The City of Amarillo utilizes over one-third of its grant money for onthe-job training programs, he said.

When CETA was involved almost exclusively with the public sector, that meant they could only train persons to work for city and county governments, in most cases, said Taylor. They could also work for some nonprofit organizations such as hospitals or other public service agencies, he said.

"But the main purpose of the CETA program to begin with was to get them trained in a skill. Get them on a

payroll and off the welfare roll. It was designed to meet the needs of the economically disadvantaged and long-term, hardcore unemployed persons in the United States."

The only problem, said Taylor. is that not enough skills were available to be taught by the public sector or governmental agencies.. "Filing jobs at the county did not result in filing jobs in the private sector when the CETA program funds were depleted."

The new CETA Bill is supposed to correct the deficiencies of the old bill and to make the program a more workable, successful effort.

Several counties due EDA funding

Several counties and cities in the Panhandle of Texas are eligible for direct loans and loan guarantees through the Economic Development Administration (EDA)because they are either certified redevelopment counties or growth centers as defined under the law, says Vicki Jacobs Economic Development Administrator for the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission.

The EDA is empowered by law to make both direct loans and loan guarantees in qualified areas for the purpose of creating increased employment opportunites

The counties of Armstrong, Moore, Hansford and Lipscomb currently are qualified as redevelopment counties on the basis of per capita employment losses between 1980 and 1970, or an abrupt loss in employment, she explained.

Amarillo-Canyon, Borger and Perryton qualify for the program, she said, because they are areas of substantial size and economic diversification which can help alleviate problems in the redevelopment counties.

The EDA loans and loan guarantees are made available to industries and businesses which are providing long term, permanent jobs to people who are structurally unemployed. This usually means the type of jobs which do not require long training periods, frquently in manufacturing or food processing businesses.

EDA generally limits its exposure to one newly-created job for each $10,000 being invested," she explained

The EDA can make basically the same type of loans as the Small Business Administration, says Ms. Ja cobs. "However, except in special cir

Vickie Jacobs

cumstances, the EDA concentrates on loans and loan guarantees in the $500,000 or more range. That is the cutoff point for SBA-backed loans," she said.

The purpose of the EDA loans and guarantees is to encourage businesses and industries to locate or expand in the redevelopment counties or growth centers.

Under the guarantee program, local banks or other lending institutions would loan up to 85 percent of

the expected investment costs. she said, "and EDA will guarantee up to 90 percent on the loan; The ending institutions are responsible for setting the terms and committment

A maximum of 5 percent can come from the affected community, she said. "This 5 percent can be either in cash or in-kind services, such as land, services, or buildings," she explained, "with the business providing the remaining 10 percent."

Direct loans bythe EDA are generally limited to large corporations with substantial assets in order to encourage them to move into a redevelopment county or growth center.

In making a direct loan, EDA will lend up to a maximum of 50 percent of the amount needed for fixed assets. Banks or other lending institutions loan up to 35 percent of the nec essary amount (and they will secure the first lien on the fixed assets involved), and the affected community can donate 5 percent, with the industry or business required to put up a minimum of 10 percent.

New ventures are generally expected to provide 25 to 30 percent equity. Any new venture in excess of $1 million requires a feasibility study by qualified personnel, she said.

EDA will take a very close look at any firm's credit worthiness and the economic development and job crestion capabilities which it will bring into a redevelopment county or growth center.

Interest rates on EDA loans were 8 1/2 percent at the end of the last quarter with the rate determined by the cost of Treasury Bills. The maximum length of aloan for fixed assests is 25 years, with the average being 17 to 18 years: the maximum for working capitalloans is five years.

At the present time, says Ma. Jacobs EDA is placing more emphasis on loan guarantees than it is on direct loans. "They can make their available funds stretch further that way," she said, "since they only need to keep a 10 percent reserve on hand in regards to loan guarantees."

There are a few limitations on the types of businesses which can obtain loans or loan guarantees from the EDA, she said

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EDA funds cannot be used to fiInance any business which is relocating and therefore causing unemployment to take place in another area.

They cannot help any firm connected with the apparel industry, she said "And they cannot lend money or guarantee loans to firms which are in industries that EDA feels are already producing more than is being purchased.

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