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Residents report long ambulance waits; commissioners say county will research options
Summary
A resident described repeated long ambulance response times in Clare County during public comment; commissioners said they'll research causes, possible contract or service changes and potential external providers.
A resident told the Clare County Board of Commissioners during public comment that ambulance response times in parts of the county have worsened, sometimes exceeding an hour and 20 minutes.
The speaker said multiple recent incidents included stroke calls and overdoses in which ambulances were dispatched from distant towns because local units were unavailable. He also described repeated calls where Narcan doses were administered and patients refused transport, leaving ambulances tied up and unavailable for other calls. The commentator urged the county to investigate service coverage and whether additional contracted services or different deployment strategies could improve response times.
Commissioners and staff acknowledged the problem is known and under consideration. Board members said some solutions are being researched, including potential conversations with other ambulance services and reviewing whether the county should pursue a contract or encourage a different coverage model. One commissioner noted startup costs for a new ambulance service would be substantial.
No formal action was taken; commissioners directed staff to research the issue further and report back to the board.
