By Warren Dillaway
Star Beacon
ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio — Area leaders continue to find challenges looking for affordable ways to provide residents with ambulance service in rural areas of the county.
Ever since the coronavirus pandemic providing ambulance service has become more and more difficult.
In the southeastern part of the county, villages and townships have been wrestling with a major problem, exacerbated by the closing of the Andover emergency room at the start of the pandemic in spring 2020.
That wrestling continues, as leaders seek to make sure ambulance service is available when needed.
Andover Village Council President E. Curt Williams said negotiations are ongoing with Community Care Ambulance, as the village’s contract has expired and a continuing agreement is operational at this point.
The village of Andover and the surrounding townships contract with Community Care for ambulance service and the longer ride to hospitals puts them in a difficult situation.
The village, Andover, Williamsfield, and Wayne townships all passed one-mill levy increases, bringing their total millage to three each, in 2023 but often have only one ambulance in service at a given time.
William said he has been dealing with ambulance issues for the 20 years he has been on council. He said the price is always going up, and townships and villages are seeking the best way to provide service for their communities.
He said da iscussion is underway that could lead to an increase in millage being presented to voters again.
During negotiations in 2022 and 2023, Cherry Valley decided to join the South Central Ambulance District, which added challenges for the remaining communities, Williams said.
He said he understands each government seeking the best solution for their residents, but the numbers change when a group changes their connection to an existing partnership.
SCAD Chief Shaun Buehner said the district can’t take on more territory because of the distance of calls. He said SCAD still runs mutual aid to the southeastern part of the county when needed.
Buehner said the leaders of three ambulance districts (South Central, Jefferson and Northeast ambulance districts) have started to meet on a regular basis to stay on top of the challenges meeting the industry as a whole.
“How can we help each other,” Buehner said. “We got to rely on each other during COVID.”
He said the meetings include updating each other, as they service about 60% of the county.
One of the ways the ambulance districts hope to work together is through interaction with politicians concerning the needs of ambulance providers. He said several local officials are high-ranking members of the Ohio EMS Chiefs Association, and lobby on behalf of rural ambulance service.
One of the challenges facing all EMS entities is the decreasing pool of people interested in performing the job, as calls increase and equipment costs rise.
Buehner said SCAD handled 1,817 calls last year, which was up, compared to 2023.
“It is hard to find anyone interested in the job,” Buehner said.
He said the three-month emergency medical technician program is challenging enough, but the one-year paramedic course basically puts your life on hold.
Buehner said the pandemic showed people can work from home and many have gotten used to doing just that.
“In Ohio, ambulance service is not considered essential,” he said.
Government entities must provide fire protection, but no such laws exist for ambulance service, Buehner said.
He said lobbying at the state and federal level is an important part of the work of the state chiefs’ association.
Other townships are seeking to find fire and ambulance solutions after a joint venture between Sheffield, Monroe and Kingsville townships did not work out.
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