By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

A review of volunteer rescue squad financial audits from 2005 and 2006 show that some squads are bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars a year alone in billing private insurance, Medicare and and other entities for services provided.

The county emergency service system is based on volunteer squads that contract with the county to provide services and in exchange receive certain tax money. The squads must present an audit before receiving any funds, according to the county finance office.

A two-cent property tax is levied that accounts for more than $55,000 in funding to most volunteer departments, plus each department receives roughly $22,000 for one paid staff member.

According to the county’s fiscal 2007-2008 budget, $160,000 is a special district tax levied in Whiteville’s rescue district while $445,000 is the overall total county rescue tax, not including Whiteville.

The county’s special appropriation for paid daytime staff totals about $200,000 and a separate special appropriation that is labeled “fire/rescue appropriation” totals more than $250,000, bringing the county’s total contribution (less Whiteville’s) to just less than $1 million.

The county contribution is small compared to revenue that some departments earn from billing insurance and Medicare for their services. Whiteville Rescue (in 2005), Tabor City Emergency Services and Acme-Delco-Riegelwood (ADR) Fire and Rescue (in 2006) each collected more than $240,000 for transport or rescue trips, according to their financial statements with the county.

In 2005, special district taxes accounted for $142,324 of Whiteville Rescue’s budget. County appropriations consisted of a $10,543 special appropriation and $22,200(for paid staff.) Donations totaled more than $52,500 and fundraising brought in close to $11,000. Total revenues were $569,220 versus total expense of $534,966 of which $204,000 went to salaries. Total net assets were $670,245.

Tabor City Emergency Services total revenue reported in 2006 was $342,000 but expenditures exceeded revenues by $7,058 at $349,989. The department’s net assets at the end of the year totaled $527,232. About $11,000 of its revenues came from fundraisers.

ADR showed $74,710 in revenues above expenses in 2006. While $610,261 in revenue is reported for both fire and rescue. Total expenses are listed at $535,551. The department does not report any kind of fundraising or revenue from donations but attributes a $6,720 expense to fundraising. Net assets at the end of the year totaled $362,742.

Fair Bluff Fire Department and Rescue Squad reported $333,416 in revenue and $332,092 in expenses for 2006. Ambulance fee revenue totaled about $104,000.

Other sources of funding included Horry County contract services of $10,000, a Fair Bluff town appropriation of $27,000, grants, and more than $7,000 in public support and fundraising. Net assets at the end of the year totaled $345,825.

Nakina Fire and Rescue Squad had total revenues of $295,732 in 2006 with expenses of $243,395. EMS billing receipts totaled nearly $84,000 and donations amounted to $4,139 and fundraising $4,809 in revenue. Net assets were $345,824 as of the end of 2006.

Cerro Gordo Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue reported total revenues of $200,297. Contributions made up $524 of revenues.

Transport income accounted for $40,258 while a $55,293 county appropriation and $22,200 county staffing appropriation is noted. Expenses took all but $2,513 of revenue reported in 2006 but net assets at the end of the year totaled $324,101.

Chadbourn Volunteer Fire and Rescue’s financial reports from 2005 as presented to the county show an income of $251,585 with $131,361 in ambulance fees, $4,055 in public support, and $17,973 in fundraising. The Town of Chadbourn contributed $8,290 and Columbus County’s totaled $84,781. Total expenses were $201,048 and net assets at the end of the year were $419,433.

Buckhead Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad data from 2005 showed $133,881 in revenue and $135,120 in expenses –a loss of $1,239. Ambulance fees made up $29,141, fundraisers $3,521, and public support $3,766 in revenue. Net assets at the end of the year were negative $39,575.

Lake Waccamaw Fire and Rescue Auxiliary had reported revenues of $88,424 in 2005 and total expenses were $90,777. While there was no income for ambulance fees because the squad does not bill, donations and contributions totaled $15,679. Net assets at the end of the year totaled $223,740.