Scioto County Commissioners said they are working on ways to solve the shortage of EMTs that’s resulted in long waits for ambulances for some county residents in need.
SCDN asked the commissioners if they would consider picking up the tab for EMT training if residents agreed to go to work for local ambulance services or volunteer a set number of hours at area volunteer fire departments.
Commissioner Scottie Powell said that Community Action is working on offering EMT classes paid for with county workforce development money.
Powell said CAO was working on getting individuals into the next round of EMT classes at Shawnee State University. “There is some funding out there and they are very engaged with multiple fire stations to figure out what their needs are. I would encourage people to reach out to Community Action.”
Commissioner Bryan Davis said the personnel shortage is not just a local issue but a problem statewide. He encouraged young people to join their local volunteer fire departments. “People just aren’t volunteering like they did in the past. Get involved.”
Davis said commissioners are also exploring ways to reduce the call load on emergency services. “We’ve discussed what qualifies as an emergency. It’s not just EMS, it’s law enforcement, too. How can we reduce that load?” The commissioner said they are examining options to respond to some calls that don’t require EMS or law enforcement. “There’s a lot to that. I don’t want to go into the details yet.”
Davis said a big concern is the aging volunteer population. “Nobody’s getting younger. That’s the problem. We have people 50, 60, 70 years old running ambulances and firetrucks. It’s a real problem. We’re trying to do everything we can.”