By Pedro Ramirez III
The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York)
Copyright 2006 Post-Standard
Last month, the call went out to Plainville fire district residents that the fire company’s ambulance service was in danger of shutting down.
Plainville’s ambulance service still is in question this month, said Matthew Porpilia, chairman of Plainville’s board of fire commissioners.
In May, Plainville officials held three public meetings to recruit new members. There was little turnout at the meetings, Porpilia said.
Fire officials still are trying to determine what action to take, Porpilia said. The board is scheduled to discuss the issue again in July, but may not make any final decisions then.
The problem — recruitment of new volunteer members — is not unique to Plainville, area emergency responders say. The problem of recruiting emergency medical technicians and paramedics is hitting the ranks of paid personnel, experts say.
“It’s not even just on the volunteer side of things,” said John Marko, operations manager at Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance. “The EMS industry these days is facing the same challenges in staffing as nursing (in hospitals).”
In Northern Onondaga County, three volunteer ambulance organizations perform many of the ambulance transports to Syracuse hospitals: North Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance and Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps.
NAVAC provides emergency services to residents in the North Syracuse school district, which includes Cicero and parts of Clay, said Jennifer Nichols, NAVAC’s director of communications.
NOVA provides emergency services to about 85 percent of Clay in the Moyers Corners Fire District and parts of the Clay Fire District, Marko said.
GBAC provides emergency services to residents in the Baldwinsville school district, as well as the Lysander, Lakeside and Warners fire districts, said Randy Goodale, GBAC’s director of operations.
“You can’t find volunteers that want to commit to be a paramedic,” Goodale said.
In the last few years, Plainville lost its last paramedic (the most advanced level for ambulance members) to retirement. Plainville now can only provide basic life support. Without new members, other agencies, such as GBAC, will have to provide service to the Plainville district.
About half of the Plainville fire district falls within the Baldwinsville school district, Goodale said. So, GBAC already covers part of the Plainville area.
“They are so short-handed,” Goodale said, “that on (many current) calls, we respond.”
GBAC has 16 paid members and 60 volunteers.
Plainville and GBAC officials agree that it will take longer for ambulances coming from Baldwinsville to reach Plainville’s rural areas.
“They don’t do enough calls in that area for us to justify stationing an ambulance out there,” Goodale said.
Recruiting is a challenge because people already are busy with work, social and family activities, officials say.
“Ten percent of our schedule is staffed by volunteers,” Marko said. “The rest of it is all our paid staff because volunteers are limited with their available time.”
NOVA has about 30 paid staff and 36 volunteers, he said. “We’re always looking for volunteers. ... If it wasn’t for the paid staff here ... we would not be able to provide our services to the community.”
What some residents may not know is that none of their local tax dollars goes to NOVA.
“We receive no subsidy from the town,” Marko said.
GBAC also receives no local tax money, Goodale said.
What the community also may not know, Marko says, is that volunteers do not have to commit to being a paramedic or ambulance driver.
“Someone may want to volunteer to just do administrative (duties), sit on a committee to do fundraisers,” he said. “There’s a place for everybody.”
To join an ambulance service:
Northern Area Volunteer Ambulance Corps: At 603 N. Main St; phone, 458-7514.
NAVAC was created in 1970. It operates four ambulances. In a given year, it responds to more than 5,000 calls.
Northern Onondaga Volunteer Ambulance: At 4425 Buckley Road; phone, 622-1443.
NOVA was established in the early 1990s. Before that it was part of the Moyers Corners fire department. It operates three ambulances. In a given year, it responds to about 2,400 calls.
Greater Baldwinsville Ambulance Corps: At 11 Albert Palmer Lane; phone, 638-4328.
GBAC was established in 1962. It operates four ambulances. Last year, it responded to more than 3,200 calls.
The Plainville Fire Company’s ambulance service is in danger of shutting down. But, officials still are calling for volunteers.
Plainville: At 767 W. Genesee Road; phone, 638-2994.