EMS Study Shows Needs
Originally Published: March 3, 2024
Add’l Positions, Facilities, & More
Mission Critical Partners (MCP), a consulting firm hired by the County to assess Emergency Medical Services (EMS), presented their findings to the Commissioners last Tuesday. The final report focused on staffing, facilities, apparatus, finances, and billing. MCP said the County is covered well with stations located so most areas are reachable within ten minutes, though some areas still experience longer response times. California/Lexington Park experienced the most calls for service, and data showed call volumes across the county peaking around 8AM and 5-6PM, consistent with rush hour.
MCP found each Company had a dedicated group of active members, but said some are “at risk” due to having around 20 volunteers or less. Those were Second District (18), Leonardtown (25), Ridge (20), and Hollywood (24). “Many agency members relayed that the current model needs to change and are concerned about the future of volunteerism,” the report states. The Lexington Park stations had the highest percentage of missed calls at 35% combined, but those two stations also responded to more than 10K calls which is about 7K more than the next highest stations, Hollywood & Mechanicsville. Responding to Commissioner Ostrow’s question, MCP said missed calls were not unanswered because another station responded. Additionally, the study noted a total of 26 transport units in the county, but found only 11 or 12 are needed for daily operations. The consultant said this allows for ambulances to be used elsewhere, like stationed at events.
The County Administrator, Deputy County Administrator, Dept. of Emergency Services Deputy Director, County legal staff, DES staff, and volunteers were all consulted during MCP’s process. Financially, the County supports “the career DES staff, while the individual departments support their own needs via County funding and an EMS tax” MCP writes. Each Company has either kept expenses under income or kept them balanced. DES’s budget is $6.8M with an income from billing only $3.7M, though that will increase as EMS improves. After collecting data and interviewing stakeholders, MCP structured their recommendations across a five year plan.
Most of the ideas are suggested for the first two years of the five year plan. First is hiring positions for scheduling, quartermaster, training supervisor, volunteer liaison, two Captains or two Lieutenants to supplement management, four paramedics for Lexington Park and Mechanicsville, and two part time paramedics. Pay scale restructuring, consideration of a sign on bonus, and career ladder development are advised. MCP also suggests obtaining a garage to store and perform maintenance on response units. Years 3 and 4 of the plan see more administrative positions created, purchase of transport vehicles for volunteer stations, finding a centralized warehouse to store supplies, and establishing medic/ambulance response at the Mechanicsville Volunteer Rescue Squad and both stations of the Lexington Park Volunteer Rescue Squad. Other suggestions included creating a policy for collection of billing data.
“The EMS Division was built from the bottom up and left management and supervision thin. This cannot happen with a department of this size. Today, the management is doing their best to stabilize the department and move it forward,” MPC summarizes in its report.
What are your thoughts on this assessment?
