Kavsuvb
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Why Vol EMS is getting more expensive
- Thread starter Kavsuvb
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Not sure how this is “Bidenomics.” This sounds like a county being unwilling to provide additional funding to provide paid positions to one of six rescue squads in the county.
There is always a cost to volunteer, and it seems like the days of endless teenager and retiree volunteers are behind us.
There is always a cost to volunteer, and it seems like the days of endless teenager and retiree volunteers are behind us.
akflightmedic
Forum Deputy Chief
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As I sit here recovering from bilateral shoulder surgery, I had time to google. It did take some effort, mainly due to that area not having internet or knowing what the world wide web is...
The town of Stuart....population 1400 in 2010....has FIVE volunteer Fire Depts and TWO volunteer rescue squads.
Never mind the Patrick County Fire and EMS, which is county funded and is hiring.
This county itself, holy crap it needs consolidation in a major way. This county has NINE volunteer FDs, and SIX volunteer Rescue squads. And some of the FDs have transport capability.
Time to give up the fiefdoms and make a single kingdom....for the greater good (if that is everyone's true intent).
The town of Stuart....population 1400 in 2010....has FIVE volunteer Fire Depts and TWO volunteer rescue squads.
Never mind the Patrick County Fire and EMS, which is county funded and is hiring.
This county itself, holy crap it needs consolidation in a major way. This county has NINE volunteer FDs, and SIX volunteer Rescue squads. And some of the FDs have transport capability.
Time to give up the fiefdoms and make a single kingdom....for the greater good (if that is everyone's true intent).
PotatoMedic
Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Can we still get the plethora of pancake breakfasts?
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Politics have 0 to do with this situation.
Here is the issue: Patrick County is over 480 square miles, most of it is super rural. So all those fire departments sprung up over geographic areas over the decades, likely due to filling a need. Are you saying those in rural areas shouldn't have any fire protection? or any EMS services?
Similar are the rescue squads: they are small agencies, (probably divided by a geographic line or street), and cover half of the area, probably with 1 or 2 ambulances (one of whom is staffed); they probably answer calls in the county too.
As per https://www.virginiafirefighters.com/patrick.htm, the county has 15 FDs and rescue squads, and 0 paid fire stations... that tells me that the county is only providing staffing, and using the volunteer's equipment and fire trucks. If I were to guess, each fire department has an engine, a tanker, and a brush truck that doubles as an EMS first response vehicle, and maybe 2 ladders (if that) for the entire county.
I currently live in a county that has 100% paid EMS, all under a single system... trucks often come from the other side of the county, 20+ minute EMS responses are not uncommon, nor are situation where there are less than 10 available ambulances for a county of over a million people over 800 square miles.
Even if you did consolidate the management levels (not a bad thing), you still want to keep the fire and EMS stations, otherwise you will have extended responses to emergencies due to EMS and fire deserts (which is likely why many of these agencies were formed back in the day). Closing EMS stations means the area will have an extended response
akflightmedic
Forum Deputy Chief
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I said nothing about closing.
Also, what good are multiple stations if they all have manning issues? While long wait times are not ideal, at least it is paid and coming. That is the price one pays for where they choose to live.
As I said, the County does have PAID Fire and EMS. You really have to dig and even call...I visited the same site as you linked, and there are others, including FB pages.
I merely highlighted this ONE station is crying about funding when there are two other volley ones in the same town, in addition to a county service. Let's not shift any goal posts.
Also, what good are multiple stations if they all have manning issues? While long wait times are not ideal, at least it is paid and coming. That is the price one pays for where they choose to live.
As I said, the County does have PAID Fire and EMS. You really have to dig and even call...I visited the same site as you linked, and there are others, including FB pages.
I merely highlighted this ONE station is crying about funding when there are two other volley ones in the same town, in addition to a county service. Let's not shift any goal posts.
Capital
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Virginia OEMS also has $33 million dollars in mishandled/missing funds 
They canceled our annual EMS symposium, canceled all state grants, and have reneged on most reimbursements. There are going to be a lot of smaller, more rural agencies closing across the Commonwealth.
VA Office EMS $33 million
They canceled our annual EMS symposium, canceled all state grants, and have reneged on most reimbursements. There are going to be a lot of smaller, more rural agencies closing across the Commonwealth.
VA Office EMS $33 million