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Commissioners discuss paramedic shortages, ambulance response and recent overdose deaths
Summary
Board members raised concerns about local paramedic shortages, ambulance service-area staffing and four recent overdose deaths tied largely to fentanyl; no formal action taken.
Commissioners spent part of the March 6 session discussing public-safety challenges, including a local shortage of paramedics, ambulance staffing concerns and recent overdose deaths.
Commissioner Starett raised the county's shortfall of EMS personnel and linked that shortage to discussion supporting House Bill 3552. "We have a deficit of paramedics, not only statewide, but in this community," Starett said during the career-centers discussion.
Later in announcements, Starett told the Board the County's Board of Health had recorded four recent overdose deaths. "68 percent of all the drug poisonings in the last couple of years were caused by primarily fentanyl," she said, and she emphasized precursors and international supply chains as drivers of the crisis. Starett also raised concerns about illegal grows and cartels affecting deputies.
Commissioners also discussed ambulance service-area planning and response-time challenges; they earlier cited the ambulance service-area plan as "really struggling" to staff ambulances to required levels. In updates from the McMinnville Fire District, commissioners described recruitment initiatives including a "student sleeper" program where college students live at stations while taking training courses at places such as Chemeketa Community College, and internship programs to support student training and recruitment.
No formal motions or votes were taken on these topics during the meeting; commissioners said they will continue to work with EMS, the fire district and county staff on recruitment and service-area planning.
