The Warren County Council of Governments established the COG Fire Services Committee to continue the discussion on fire and EMS issues.

The burden to provide EMS services falls on local elected officials.

But just two elected officials — Clarendon Borough Councilman Paul Pascuzzi and Commissioner Ben Kafferlin — participated in the meeting.

“If we’re going to have a Council of Governments Fire Services Committee, we should try to get elected officials to participate in the meeting,” County Public Safety Director Ken McCorrison said.

While EMS continues to be a service facing critical challenges, McCorrison did highlight some recent positive steps.

He said Youngsville VFD has started scheduling staff in the evenings which has resulted in a “dropped call rate that is going down significantly.”

Starbrick VFD also “re-upped ambulance licensure. That’s really good news that they decided to renew,” he said. “Our agencies that have been struggling over time appear to be continuing to struggle.”

“It’s not about funding,” Pascuzzi said. “It’s all about boots on the ground.”

He said educating the public on the severity of the challenges has been a “difficult task.”

Part of the solution has been ongoing discussions about a EMS administrator that would cover Erie, Crawford and Warren counties, and help hold agencies accountable to a response plan that’s been submitted to the state.

That position is currently open through Erie County and anyone interested is encouraged to apply.