EMA and Ambulance Services

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EMA and Ambulance Services Coordinator Diana Holmes EMA Welcome to the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency(EMA) and Montgomery County Ambulance Service. In 2005 Montgomery County ESDA became Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency.(EMA) Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Homeland Security and Illinois Terrorism Task Force started offering more educational classes to better prepare Illinois Counties for many types of emergencies. Illinois ranks third nation wide for response capabilities for almost any type of emergency, and can send coordinators statewide or nation wide. All counties have been trained for operating under NIMS. (National Incident Management System) Montgomery County has trained 22 people in Incident Management forming an Incident Management Team, (IMT) which can be put into service any where in the county or state. Montgomery County has partnered with MABAS (Mutual Aid Box Alarm System) in order to have a county HazMat Team equipped to handle most chemical spills, from rail lines or trucking incidents. MABAS contributed $250,000.00 in equipment to get the Team started. MABAS has also given the county much needed equipment such as Generator and Light trailer, and IMT trailer. The county Emergency Management Agency coordinates the response to any disaster and/or emergency situation within Montgomery County. EMA is required under Illinois law and local ordinance to "aid the citizens and government agencies within Montgomery County to mitigate, prepare, respond to, educate, and recover from emergency and/or disaster situations." EMA also assists with education in schools, manufacturing facilities, shelters, and the general public on the most effective methods of emergency planning and disaster recovery. When necessary, Montgomery County EMA operates an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the basement of the new courthouse at 120 N. Main St. in Hillsboro. The EMA mission is deliberately broad. Often called upon to respond to emergency situations as either a coordinating agency or a support agency, EMA must maintain a staff of trained volunteers well-versed in a number of areas. For more information, call us at (217) 532-9560, or drop us a line at: Montgomery County EMA, County Courthouse, 120 N. Main St. Hillsboro, IL 62049.Our email address is: mcesda99@yahoo.com Severe Weather Preparedness One of the main functions of EMA is severe weather event coordination. This includes a network of Montgomery County Storm Spotters who are strategically deployed throughout the county to provide advance warning of severe weather. Included in our EMA units are dedicated spotters from the various towns and villages in the county, and a great unit of amateur radio operators. All of these storm spotters train every two years with the National Weather Service. Weather Spotter classes are taught every other year and are advertised in the local papers. Ambulance Service Montgomery County EMA/Ambulance serves dual purposes of emergency services preparedness and response and as billing office for the five county ambulance agencies. The Ambulance Service side of the office does the billing for the five area ambulance services within Montgomery County. Besides sending out bills and collecting money, we aid the ambulance services in licensing and certification requirements of the Illinois Department of Public Health, Medicare and Medicaid. We can also bill direct to Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Insurance if we have Life Time Authorization signed by the Patient, Responsible Party, or Guardian. Bills can also be paid by major credit cards. For questions about ambulance services or billing, call (217) 532-9561 or (217) 532-9562. The office of Emergency Management Agency and the Montgomery County Ambulance Service is located in the Courts Complex, just north of the Historic Courthouse, lower level. Phone number for EMA is (217) 532-9560. Mailing address is: 120 N. Main St., Hillsboro, IL 62049