Warren County EMS Task Force has reconvened as a whole to discuss plans going forward.

The task force first met in October where they decided to break into subcommittees. The subcommittees were to meet and create a document to serve as a starting point to vet their plan to the entire task force.

Subcommittees included: EMS Plan, revise or enforce; Ambulance Coop/Authority; Cross-Deputize/Mutual Aid; Skilled/Assisted Living Facilities; and Train, Retain, Recruit, Incentive and Community Education.

“From a group, it needs to be made very clear that no one here is trying to take anything away from anybody, that the whole purpose of this group is to try and assist and make the current system that we have better,” said Ken McCorrison, Warren County Directory of Public Safety. “I think the intention of this group could be misinterpreted if the proper message isn’t pushed out that we’re just here to help.”

“I think we can all work together,” said City Manager Nancy Freenock. “There is no way this can work without the volunteers and I think the volunteers need to be told that we recognize their contributions and that their contributions are valued.”

Each of the subcommittees were given a chance to present their ideas to the entire task force and feedback was given.

The Skilled/Assisted Living Facilities subcommittee came up with a flow chart to help staff members determine what type of care to call for patients: emergent, urgent or non-emergency/wheelchair.

The subcommittee believes that this method could potentially get services quicker to patients at facilities in a lot of situations, and the correct care at that.

Examples of emergent care that would require immediate ambulance transportation include cardiac/respiratory arrest, acute change in behavior/mental status within less than 6 hours, traumatic injury/uncontrolled bleeding or a fall victim with injury or still down on the ground.

Examples of urgent care that be pushed more towards transportation to an urgent care facility include abnormal labs without emergent symptoms, general illness/elevated temperature without emergent symptoms, need for diagnostic testing or evaluation of stable medical conditions.

Non-emergency/wheelchair examples include clinic/physician office appointments and prescheduled appointments.

According to the subcommittee, there was “not one person in the [subcommittee meeting] not willing to work and fix that problem.” The possibility of creating magnets of the chart to put next to phones in facilities was suggested.

The Train, Retain, Recruit, Incentive and Community Education Subcommittee identified that there are already entities in place throughout the County currently that have stepped up and taken on roles of education and certification.

These include Northwester Regional College and EmergyCare. EmergyCare put on two courses within the past year with 30 total attendees, around nine of those are currently out in the County as EMTs. EmergyCare is also planning to offer a spring EMT course that will tentatively begin in January 2020 and end in May. 2020.

The subcommittee also discussed the issue of continuing education for current providers. They believe between NWR College, EmergyCare and Kinzua Medical Supply, ConEd and recertifications should not be an issue.

What they proposed was getting information for the three entities for education in Warren County and what they have to offer in a “one stop shop” so that any provider, or prospective provider, can easily access the education that they require. They thought a website or at least a Facebook page with at least one person constantly updating the information would be a good course to take.

There has also been surveys created aimed to help identify priorities for educations and retainment for those already involved with the EMS community. Another has been created for feedback on recruitment that will aimed toward public feedback.

Other survey options were discussed such as public feedback on how much they know and are aware of the EMS system. Possible legislation to find an easier path back into the EMS system for those retired out was discussed and a possible survey to see interest in such an idea.

A possible type of “orientation” for those newly certified entering the system was discussed. Something similar to that of a regular job orientation to help be sure that new members are comfortable with doing what they are certified in doing and leadership providing feedback after new members respond to calls on their strength and weaknesses.

The Ambulance Authority/CoOp and Cross-Deputization subcommittees both had similar proposals.

“There’s a lot of ideas that overlap there,” said Commissioner Ben Kafferlin.

The Cross-Deputization subcommittee suggested a QRS fly car system with strategically placed cars in remote part of the County that can provide and early form of EMS to patients in need in a timely fashion.

The idea of the City offering subsidization to the surrounding townships and boroughs was discussed, covering the heaviest populations within the County. Although the City would not be able to subsidize all townships and boroughs within the County, the ones that they are able to subsize could then flow outward. “Back up for back up for back up,” said City of Warren Fire Department Chief Rodney Wren.

The Ambulance Authority/CoOp subcommittee proposed the idea of ambulance cooperatives throughout the County.

“The ideas of doing cooperatives have been thrown around in the past,” said Kafferlin. “It would be less of an authority, but more of a regional cooperation.”

Hypothetically, the CoOp would look something like: Monday, Wednesday, Friday Russell would be the primary BLS provider and Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Scandia would be the primary BLS provider. When either was not the primary provider, they would revert to QRS status.

On days when a department is QRS status, volunteers could take “shifts” where they would be ready to respond to calls to provide the early form of EMS until the primary BLS agency responds with their ambulance. The cooperative billing aspect would be determined if the plan is invoked.

“No one looses an ambulance or money, just a regional cooperation,” said Kafferlin.

The main consistency within the Cross-Deputization and Ambulance subcommittees was the idea of some sort of authority or EMS coordinator.

“Sharing of information, coordination of resources, call sharing and an authority figure are imperative to any solution to the EMS system of Warren County,” said Chief Wren on behalf of the Cross-Deputization subcommittee. “County coordinator is a recurring theme to assist with the EMS problem and could also help us to maintain the open line of communication among the departments so that there’s valid and reliable information being transferred through everyone.”

Deputy Director EMA said, “One of the things that we talked about with the ambulance coop subcommittee was that specifically nobody wants to take anybody’s community pride or identity. We don’t want to paint every ambulance blue, but ultimately when it comes to my house I could care less what color it is, the one time you need it you don’t care.”

The next step is to have all the subcommittees submit their documents to be combined by Chief Nick Sohyda, EMS consultant appointed for Warren County. Once that is finished, the plan is for a small group, may three people, to go around the County and meet with the chiefs of each department and township/borough supervisors.

“We need to get their feedback on it and if it’s dead in the water then we need to look at another avenue. If there is an interest in exploring further then go forward and if the chiefs have ideas we’ll take it from there,” said Kafferlin.

“You have to meet with the fire chief and their respective township supervisor in the same room at the same time because the supervisors have to sign on just as quickly as the chiefs because at some point and time you’re going to need another funding source which ultimately comes down to the supervisors,” said Andy Brooks, Pleasant Township Supervisor.

“The key is getting the information out to everyone so people are predisposed to what’s going on. Getting out there and letting them know, keeping that transparency,” said Chief Wren.