HOW WE SEE IT: All Quiet On Approach To Ambulances

Few services provided or coordinated by local governments are more important than the availability of reliable, quality ambulance systems.

When people dial 911, they’re within reason to expect a trained professional to show up in a timely manner. That’s why we’ve offered our thoughts before, and may do so again, about the ambulance situation in Benton County.

It appears many of Benton County’s elected leaders are content to sit on the sidelines waiting for some surge of public involvement on the question. This is not leadership, but it must be respected that elected officials should listen to their constituents.

The trouble in this instance is nobody’s stepping up to demand anything. It raises a legitimate question: Do the residents of rural Benton County care?

The evidence so far indicates the answer may not be what one would expect. If silence is golden, Benton County is wealthier than anyone knew.

WHAT’S THE POINT?

County leaders say they haven’t heard much from rural residents concerned about ambulance service. Those residents can expect little progress on the matter unless they demand it.

Governments fund law enforcement without hesitation, but because ambulances are tied up within the medical system, they’ve been approached much differently than other emergency services. Our point is this: Benton County can keep relying on the goodwill of the existing ambulance services and perhaps things will run smoothly. The reason this is an issue, however, is Benton County has become too populous to expect the systems of the past to handle the challenges of the future. It will be far better to prepare for tomorrow than to react after the flaws of today’s system become clearly, and perhaps tragically, apparent.

Maybe residents don’t care. It’s clear the county’s leadership will need some encouragement to step into this fray with an idea toward making a real difference. But if it doesn’t come, we hope the inertia surrounding rural ambulance service is something everyone can live with.

TONIGHT’S THE DEBATE

Americans like to both cheer and jeer the process by which we elect our political leaders. It is, really, a love-hate relationship. Hopefully, everyone appreciates the magnitude of the decisions to be made when they walk into the voting booth, but sometimes all the commercials, claims and counterclaims and downright silly behavior makes us treat it all like a joke.

It is certainly no joke.

Tonight, Americans will get to see the first debate between the two men who want to lead this nation for the next four years. It starts at 8 p.m. and will be aired on all the major networks and cable news channels.

Every registered voter should watch. The hard- core backers of each candidate will no doubt catch the show, but we encourage the folks who really could be swayed either way to watch intently.

It’s only the future of our nation we’re dealing with here. And there are only three scheduled debates, plus one clash between vice presidential candidates that may prove informative, but won’t ultimately shift any tides.

Judge the candidates not on style, but on substance of their messages. If something sounds questionable, do a little research to see if the truth jives with the candidates’ comments. Don’t worry about who “won” the debate; think about whose message will move this country in the right direction and whose ideas are plausible solutions a president can achieve.

Tune in tonight, and pay close attention through Nov. 6. When a decision like this happens once every four years, it shouldn’t be made by ill- informed voters.

Upcoming Events