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Concord Township fire chief warns ER closures could lengthen ambulance handoffs, urges caution using 911 for nonemergencies
Summary
The Concord Township Fire Company reported rising EMS call volumes and said Crozer Chester's closing will increase emergency department wait times, potentially leaving patients on stretchers in ambulances for extended periods; the fire chief urged residents to use urgent care when appropriate and be patient with responders.
Concord Township’s fire company told the township council on May 13 that ambulance handoffs at emergency departments may take substantially longer after the Crozer Chester Hospital closure, and residents should avoid using 911 for nonemergencies when alternatives exist.
Chief Hope, of the Concord Township Fire Company, said call volumes from Jan. 1 through April 30 included 415 fire and rescue calls and 1,394 EMS calls, and that “the biggest concern we're gonna be faced with at this point … is the wait times in the ERs.” He said if there are no beds, “that patient stays on our stretcher, and that could be 40 minutes. It could be 4 hours.”
The chief told the council the department is recruiting paid full- and part-time staff and continuing robust training — including hazmat and CPR — but cannot control emergency-department throughput at Riddle or Chester County hospitals. He advised residents: “What I would suggest is that folks utilize urgent cares when all possible…don't anticipate that calling 911 and going by ambulance is going to get you seen any sooner.”
Township officials and the fire company emphasized they will continue to provide emergency response but asked for community patience while hospitals and ambulance services adjust. In response, a council member thanked the fire company “on behalf of our community” for the department’s work as call volumes rise.
The fire company also noted staffing impacts when ambulances are tied up; crews sometimes must staff a second or third ambulance, which can reduce firefighter availability for fire responses. Chief Hope said the company is on pace to exceed last year’s EMS volume of about 4,500 calls.
The council did not take action at the meeting; the update was presented as part of regular public-safety reporting and included recommendations for community use of urgent care and cautious 911 use.
