NORTH BALTIMORE – Volunteers for the village’s EMS squad who have remained inactive for consecutive
months may be cut from the department.
According to a report submitted by EMS Chief Will Matthes, there were nine volunteers on the department
roster who completed zero runs in January. Multiple volunteers have not completed any runs for several
months.
"If they don’t run, why are they there," questioned council member Aaron Patterson.
"I can’t go over there and get them out of bed at night," Matthes responded.
Patterson said his frustrations are directed at those volunteers who still consider themselves part of
the EMS department, but are not logging any hours.
"I am seeing peoples’ names on this list who are of no value to this department and that’s why you
are here," Patterson said to Matthes.
Matthes said he would follow-up with those volunteers who have repeatedly not gone on runs.
"You have support of council, when the time is right, to remove people from the roster," said
council member Janet Goldner.
Discussion over EMS volunteers came after Matthes reported the department had 11 missed calls in January.
Of those, four calls were handed off to another department because a crew could not be staffed. On
another four calls, North Baltimore EMS responded to the call but with only one responder. They then had
to call on another EMS department to transport the patient. The remaining three missed calls came when
the department was responding to other calls for service and could not get a second crew.
The department had 68 calls for service in January, which was regarded as one of the department’s busiest
months in recent history.
As the village considers its funding options for an EMS department, Patterson said volunteers repeatedly
not going on runs gives the village a bad appearance.
"If I am reading this paper and seeing our department is this well-staffed, I’m wondering why we
need to move to a paid staff," Patterson questioned.
Currently, the village is a part-time paid/volunteer department.
"It’s time to cut the strings," Patterson said.
Council did approve the addition of a volunteer to the EMS department at Tuesday’s council meeting. Ryan
Cook has 13 years experience as an EMT.