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There's something fishy in Hereford these days, and I have to wonder if the North County News is really interested in all the facts. It doesn't seem so from this story.

Detailing how Hereford Volunteer Ambulance Association is adding a second medic unit to help cover calls, North County News reporter Pat van den Beemt repeats the oft-heard myth that Hereford Ambulance is "all-volunteer".  The truth is actually different.  Baltimore County actually pays "volunteers" to staff the station so that coverage exists on many shifts.  That's right.  The Baltimore County Fire Department doesn't detail a regular career crew to the station, but instead pays volunteers to cover shifts.  That is hardly "all volunteer".

And the number of calls that they actually do make -- as opposed to the number they are called for -- is always a serious question.

While they claim their coverage area extends to the Pennsylvania line, I can tell you that I *never* see any ambulance OTHER than Medic 60 (a career unit stationed in Parkton, in a trailer no less) rushing up York Road.

And according to posters over at www.thewatchdesk.com, Hereford Ambulance misses a lot of calls, and adding a second rig won't correct this.

Why didn't Pat van den Beemt ask these questions?