County medical examiner receives supervisor support for grant application

Two new medical examiner investigators were appointed by the supervisors this past week to serve alongside Jasper County Medical Examiner Patrick Edwards, who was also given permission to pursue additional certification training for his staff. Edwards noted he is pursuing grants to pay for the training expenses.

Edwards said two appointees are now inactive, which makes it difficult to cover their duties. Supervisors agreed to help by appointing Jamey Robinson, director of Jasper County Emergency Management Agency, and Mary Robinson, a hospitalist at MercyOne Newton Medical Center. The former is already trained.

“There is a three-day course, which is given in Ankeny now — thank goodness because it used to be in St. Louis,” Edwards said. “So you have to take that training in order to serve that duty (as medical examiner investigator). You can start serving, but you eventually have to do that training within the first year.”

The individuals who would be seeking certification are Mary Robinson and Mollie Bottorff, who was also just added to the team. Edwards said the class is to be held in June, and the total cost for the course is approximately $1,000. But grant funds through the State of Iowa should help cover the expenses.

“But that has to come with approval from the board of supervisors to apply for that grant through the State of Iowa,” he said. “With your permission I would like to go ahead with that grant application … If we apply for that grant, which I think is likely, that would cover the entire training for those two individuals.”

Which should bring the County Medical Examiner’s Office up to speed and ensure enough certified people are available to cover those duties.