Edgar County EMS reports 253 calls in April; one new ambulance placed in service

Jesse presented the ambulance service’s end-of-April report to the county board, giving operational numbers and short-term outlook.

Key figures: the service recorded 253 calls in April (about 8.5 calls per day). Of those, 236 were completed as either transports or on-scene refusals of care; the service logged 38 interfacility transfers (9 emergent, 29 non-emergent) and 69 refusals of care. Education activity included eight classes, including American Heart Association courses and a high-school EMT course that reached 87 students. The service recorded 15 mutual‑aid intercepts — the highest number so far this year — including responses in neighboring counties.

Jesse also reported that one of two new ambulances discussed at the previous study session is now in service and has been cleared by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the regional EMS authority; the second vehicle is expected to be in service by the end of the month. Board members asked questions about the refusals figure and typical dispatch triggers (for example, automatic dispatch for car crashes where patients ultimately decline transport). Jesse explained that refusals often reflect patients electing evaluation but declining transport or low-acuity calls such as lift assists.

The board placed operational and budgetary issues related to ambulance contracts and special-service districts on the agenda for further consideration during bid openings and upcoming meetings.