After discussion the issue at length in a work session last week, Culver Town Council members agreed Tuesday night to fund an additional EMS full-time employee.
Continue readingStarke County EMS Personnel Continues to Work Hard During Health Pandemic
Starke County EMS personnel continue to face challenges during this health pandemic.
Continue readingCulver Town Council to Hold Work Session on EMS Pay
The Culver Town Council members will look more closely at EMS pay in an upcoming work session.
Continue readingCulver-Union Township EMS Director Hires Paramedics
New paramedics joined the Culver-Union Township EMS staff.
EMS Director Kathy Hart notified the Culver Town Council members on Tuesday night that she was able to hire three new paramedics to join the department.
The struggle to find paramedics has been a region-wide issue for several years. Hart previously shared that surrounding departments utilize paramedics for overtime so sometimes they’re not available to work at the Culver department.
The Culver Town Council members approved an ordinance amendment in 2017 that increases the hourly wage for a new advanced paramedic to a range from $10.00 to $15.50 an hour. With wage increases since then, it is higher now.
Culver EMS Still Short Paramedics
Starke County Council Discusses Additional Staff for EMS, Sheriff’s Department
The Starke County Council members discussed requests from the Starke County EMS Department and the Starke County Sheriff’s Department for additional staff members in 2019.
Additional Starke County EMS Full-Time Staff Proposed
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary and Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie are proposing more full-time paramedics and EMTs to the staff roster in 2019.
Starke County EMS Transfers Increase, New Personnel Hired
When giving her report to the Starke County Commissioners, EMS Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie mentioned that EMS transfers were up in the month of April. Transfers were up to 21 percent of the run volume which is the highest that percentage has been since July of 2017. The department relies on those numbers to be high to ensure a good revenue stream.
New Paramedics on Staff with Starke County EMS
There are two new full-time paramedics on staff with the Starke County EMS Department.
EMS Director Travis Clary notified the Starke County Commissioners last week that one of the new hires started the week of March 5 and the other will begin duties this week. Two new full-time Basic EMTs were also hired. They are replacing two vacancies from resignations.
Starke County Commissioners Approve Emergency Purchase for EMS
The Starke County Commissioners approved the emergency purchase of two cardiac monitors for two of the county’s ambulances.
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary explained that two monitors went down in the past couple of weeks and left the county with no backup devices. He mentioned the monitors that no longer work are approximately 30 years old and were recently checked for service and passed. Since the county provides paramedic service, cardiac monitors are required to be equipped on each ambulance.
Pulaski County EMS Considers Paying for Paramedic Training for Current Department Employees
Pulaski County officials are looking at ways to boost the number of paramedics at the county’s EMS department. During Monday’s joint county council and commissioners meeting, council member Mike Tiede said he felt it’s ridiculous that there aren’t certified paramedics staffing both sides of the county at all times. “Well, I think that if you don’t have paramedic service in Pulaski County, you might as well just throw Pulaski County to the wolves,” he said.
Starke County EMS Director Interviewing Paramedics, Issuing Recertifications
Paramedics are needed everywhere in the state and nationwide. Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary told the commissioners this week that they are interviewing paramedics for two full-time opportunities.
“We implemented a new standard of hiring which requires a written test, skills test and oral interview to get the best candidate possible,” said Clary. “If nothing else, we can get more part-time paramedics, but really no luck so far. It seems like there’s a shortage nationwide. I know Pulaski County and LaPorte County are kinda hurting. So, that’s where we’re at with that.”
Starke County Commissioners and Council Discuss Hiring Two Full-Time Paramedics
Starke County may soon have two more paramedics on staff.
EMS Director Travis Clary and Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie discussed the need for two full-time paramedics with both the Starke County Council and Starke County Commission members Tuesday night. They explained that it is difficult to find part-time paramedics to work for the county and it’s even harder to get part-time people to work shifts when a full-time paramedic is not able to work a shift. Clary said he’s been picking up extra shifts to fill the void.
Starke County Council to Review EMS Staffing in 2018
The Starke County Council members will be looking at costs concerning full-time EMS staff and what the county is paying in overtime.
Starke County EMS Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie will be putting together some figures for the council members in 2018 to compare what the county is paying in overtime versus hiring two more full-time paramedics for adequate coverage.
Director Travis Clary is still looking for part-time paramedics for the department, but it continues to be a challenge, as it is in all counties. Clary said there is no incentive for part-time staff to work so the full-time staff members usually pick up all of the holidays and most of the unfilled shifts.
Starke County EMS Director Hires New Part-Time Paramedics, Gives Ambulance Maintenance Report
Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary told the county commissioners this week that five part-time paramedics were recently hired and they are completing orientation. He hopes this will help cut down on overtime hours.
Committee Looking to Upgrade Ambulance Services in Starke County
Does Starke County need to upgrade it’s ambulance service by adding Advanced Life Service? This is the second in a series we have been running this week on this topic.
As we told you yesterday, Starke County is one of only two counties in the state that does not offer Advanced Life Service to its citizens. Even though officials have heard that the service can be paid for by charging higher rates with the Advanced Life Service, it is probably going to cost approximately $250,000 to secure the services of licensed paramedics.
Kris Rannells has worked as a paramedic in the past before returning home to join the family funeral home business in Hamlet. He says the Basic Ambulance Service in Starke County is doing a good job.
“They’re doing the most with what they have, but you’re going to have a better chance of saving more lives and keeping medical situations from expanding into a much more problematic situation with a paramedic than you are with an EMT,” said Rannells. “They are able to give all kinds of different medications and do different things to keep those medical problems from exasperating themselves.”
Kris Rannells was a paramedic in Indianapolis. Ted Hayes asked him about life saving with this upgraded service.
“In the amount of years that I was a paramedic, I can’t necessarily tell you how many lives saved alone, let alone how many lives I saved as a paramedic that would not have been saved as an EMT. I guarantee you, I made a difference as a paramedic. I don’t know about daily, but definitely weekly that would not have been made if I was just an EMT.”
A committee looking into upgrading to Advanced Life Service will meet next with paramedics from other small counties that already have it in place.
