As of October 1, Union Township EMS no longer answers emergency calls in the village of Rarden or Rarden Township—ending a four-year arrangement that Union Township trustees say had become unsustainable.
The move was first announced in late August. In a letter signed by trustees Brian Howell, David Euton, and John Dettwiller, the township made clear that EMS crews would only respond in Rarden for car crashes, mass casualty events, or emergencies involving law enforcement or other public safety officials.
Why the Change?
Trustee Brian Howell told SCDN that Union Township originally stepped in back in 2021, when Rarden EMS said it couldn’t reliably cover calls. “We agreed to provide assistance until they were able to remedy their situation,” Howell explained. But between 2021 and 2023, Union Township ended up handling nearly all of Rarden’s calls.
Despite repeated meetings, Howell said Rarden never fixed the underlying problems. Meanwhile, Union Township residents’ tax dollars were footing the bill for service outside their jurisdiction. “After four years with no resolve, the trustees didn’t feel it was fair to continue,” Howell said.
The Bigger Picture
Operating EMS is expensive, and trained personnel are in short supply across Scioto County. Howell acknowledged the decision won’t be popular but stressed his duty to Union Township residents: “At the end of the day, we have an obligation to assure the Union Twp. residents paying for the EMS service are provided with the coverage they are expecting.”
SCDN has reported extensively on the county’s EMS shortage, where rural families often wait long minutes—or longer—for help to arrive.
