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ASHLAND FIRE & RESCUE Ashland sees spike in emergency calls Aging population puts added demand, stress on first-responder system Comment By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News As Ashland draws more retirees and its population ages, demand for emergency services from Ashland Fire & Rescue is “exploding,” a situation that is more costly and more difficult for existing staff to cover without stress and “gaps” in service. That’s the problem opened up by Mayor John Stromberg at a City Council study session Monday, Aug. 3 — and one, he said, that’s going to require some creative planning, cutting and spending — possibly even a merger with Fire District 5. AFR responds to some 4,000 calls a year in a 650-square mile area. That’s two to six calls a day, AFR Chief John Karns told the council. This involves much drive time — a three- to four-hour commitment if, he said, it’s an emergency on Mt. Ashland, with transport to a Medford hospital. This can lead to overtime, gaps in service availability and, if it’s transport out of town, to “stress” on the quality of service, said Stromberg. It’s “very sad,” he added. AFR transports 1,700 people a year, Karns said, and 1,300 to 1,400 are emergencies, which they are “bound” to transport. Emergencies are usually about heart and breathing issues, while non-emergencies can include calls related to injuries from falling, diabetes-related issues and such. Call volume in recent years has outstripped cost increases and, said Stromberg, “We have a lot of old people and they are getting older.” More elders are moving here and leaving their support structure of family and friends, said Karns, “so they will call us. It’s exploding.” AFR handled 3,100 calls in 2009 and is on-track for 4,000 this year, “a dramatic increase … the public relies more on the 911 system than in past years.” Several issues need to be explored, said Stromberg: Should AFR focus more on stabilizing patients and less on transporting them? Can AFR focus on emergencies within the city limits? Should the city expand fire-rescue staff and budget? Firefighters appreciate income from overtime, said Karns, but it brings up the issue of burnout. AFR makes $275,000 on transporting, he adds. Karns said it’s typical to have 5.7 firefighters per 10,000 people, so he would look for 11 firefighters here — with the city exploring creation of a student program. Ashland, he said, is “somewhat” below the target staff. A student program would cost up to $160,000 a year, he says. Stromberg called for the discussion to open up the issue for planning, adding, “It looks like it’s just going to get worse and worse. The temptation is to get out of medical transport, but there are financial consequences,” since AFR makes money doing that. “We’d have a public outcry. We’d have to make up $280,000 a year. We’re caught in kind of a bind, not being able to afford staff to the level of cities our size. We’re not able to get out of the responsibility without a financial hit.” He called for prioritizing services “to see what we can let go of.” Noting duplication of services, Stromberg raised the possibility of merging with Fire District 5 in Phoenix, with them contracting AFR for services. It would raise “cultural and societal issues” as well as “fire chief ego issues,” Karns said, noting other options are dissolving AFR and contracting with FD5 — or dissolving both and creating a new special district. He said such mergers are a trend in the nation. City Administrator Dave Kanner reminded council that the city charter requires a fire department. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Aug. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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