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South Lane Fire chief warns staffing shortfall could force ambulance cuts in Cottage Grove and Creswell
Summary
Fire Chief John Wooten told the Cottage Grove City Council that call volume has risen 62% since 2018 and the district—serving about 33,000 people—now averages five responders a day; he said only a new property tax levy can add staff and prevent cuts to ambulance service.
Fire Chief John Wooten told the Cottage Grove City Council that South Lane Fire & Rescue faces a staffing emergency and that the only viable path to preserve local ambulance service is a voter-approved levy.
“We have a desperate need to add staffing,” Wooten said, describing a district that serves about 33,000 people across a 132-square-mile fire district and an 800-square-mile ambulance area with an average of five responders on duty and roughly 15 calls a day. He said call volume has increased about 62% since 2014 and that many transports require trips to larger hospitals, producing turnaround times that can be two hours per ambulance.
Wooten said the district has not…
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