Medical examiner cites rise in suicides, expands tri‑county coverage and modernizes response tools

Amanda, the county medical examiner, told the board the office now covers Marquette and neighboring service areas and is increasing staffing and capability. "We now have the I am responding app" to let examiners see EMS activity and shorten on‑scene times, she said, and staff and deputies will move to 40‑hour schedules beginning June 1.

Amanda presented 2025 caseloads for Marquette County: 150 total notifications, 136 medical‑examiner cases of which 116 were natural, 16 were accidental and four were suicides. The office performed nine autopsies (seven accidental, two natural), signed 119 death certificates and issued 109 cremation permits. She said drug toxicity and coronary artery disease were prominent causes among accidental and natural deaths.

The medical examiner flagged a concerning increase in suicides: "the suicide rate is higher," Amanda said, noting Marquette’s suicide count rose from one in 2024 to four in 2025. She said the tri‑county death review team (Marquette, Wera and Green Lake) is studying risk factors and possible prevention steps including grief‑support referrals, safe‑storage gun locks, VA collaboration and public outreach such as billboards.

Looking ahead, Amanda described a strategic plan emphasizing public education about the medical examiner’s role and a building renovation already underway. She said the morgue renovations are slated for completion by Sept. 15 and that adding Green Lake to the service area will let the tri‑county team select and review cases across the region.

Board members asked for comparative county statistics; Amanda said those comparative data are included in her full annual report and that she would provide additional breakdowns on request. The board placed the annual reports on file later in the meeting.