County EMS reports higher call volume, full EMT classes funded by SAMHSA grant

County emergency medical services told the board that 911 call volume increased in June and that several training and outreach programs are underway. A staff presenter gave counts of calls, transport destinations and training enrollments, and said a grant-funded EMT class will begin this fall. The EMS presenter said the office received 2,379 911 calls in June, of which 221 were fully completed and 155 transports went to Horizon Health. Union Hospital was the next-most frequent destination with 14 transports. The presenter said treat-no-transport entries appear on the auto-generated report and cannot be edited. "Of those 2,379 911 calls, 221 of them were fully completed," the presenter said. The presenter told the board that a SAMHSA grant underwrites $1,000 per student for an EMT class starting this fall and that the class is full with about 14 students enrolled and a short wait list. "The EMT class that begins in the fall is completely full," the presenter said, adding that the grant allowed the agency to be more selective through interviews. The presenter also reported two other full courses for first responders and EMTs, each with roughly 10–12 students. Staff described community outreach activities including CPR, AED and first-aid courses and monthly offerings at a Sycamore Pain and Wellness location following a merger between local hospitals. The presenter said personnel staffed a RAM clinic at a high school where the medical division saw 169 patients from multiple states and provided medical, vision and dental services. The presenter confirmed an ambulance involved in a deer collision is in repair and expected back by the end of the week. He also noted routine maintenance on a quad-cab ambulance and rotation of units to keep services running through fair week. Board members asked clarifying questions about report line items, and a staff member explained the auto-generated report fields and why some entries show as treat-no-transport. There were no formal votes on EMS operations during the meeting. The board did not set new policy at the meeting; the EMS presenter provided status updates on operations, training and outreach and noted follow-ups on data completion for quality-improvement records.