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Ashland struggles with increase in 911 calls Mayor suggests possibility of merging with District 5 Comment By John Darling for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 2015 at 12:01 AM By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 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,” city officials say. It's going to take some creative planning, cutting and spending to handle the extra calls — and possibly even a merger with Jackson County Fire District 5, Mayor John Stromberg said at a City Council study session earlier this month. AFR responds to about 4,000 calls a year in a 650-square mile area, fire Chief John Karns told the council. Some calls, particularly an emergency on Mount Ashland, can mean a three- to four-hour commitment of resources, he said. The increase in calls can lead to overtime, gaps in service availability and “stress” on the quality of service, said Stromberg. It’s “very sad,” he added. AFR transports 1,700 people a year, Karns said. About 1,300 to 1,400 are emergencies, such as patients with heart and lung problems who need hospitalization. Non-emergency responses include falls, diabetes-related issues and the like. 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 29 percent increase. "The public relies more on the 911 system than in past years," Karns said. 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 working long hours can lead to burnout. AFR makes $275,000 a year on transporting, he said. Stromberg noted the temptation is to get out of medical transport, "but there are financial consequences." “We’d have a public outcry," he said. "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 Talent, with District 5 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 District 5 — or dissolving both and creating a new special district. He said such mergers are a trend in the nation. City Administrator Dave Kanner reminded the 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 Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By John Darling for the Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 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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