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Ambulance report shows drop in calls and flags aging volunteer roster; council accepts report
Summary
An ambulance representative told the Freeman City Council the service had about 152–153 calls this year and warned that an aging volunteer roster and transfer demands threaten long‑term coverage; council accepted the annual report and roster for insurance certification.
An agency official presented the ambulance service annual report and told the Freeman City Council the department logged roughly 152–153 calls this year, the lowest since 2013.
"It was a down year for calls. Had 153 calls," the agency official said, noting fewer refusals but more transfers that take crews out of town for extended periods. The presenter said state inspections were completed, equipment updates were made and training mannequins were purchased to maintain skills.
The presenter warned council members the biggest concern is the advanced age of many volunteers and declining participation on the call schedule. "People are getting older. People have since retired," the presenter said, and added that the service last used a formal schedule until September when the roster’s availability declined.
Council members discussed daytime coverage and recruitment, including the difficulty of staffing interfacility transfers that can take two to three hours. One councilor suggested exploring closer collaboration with Freeman Regional Hospital, including sending a nurse with some transfers if documentation and reporting could be coordinated.
The council moved to accept the ambulance annual report and roster "as presented" to satisfy insurance and workers' compensation certification requirements; the motion was seconded and approved by the council.
Council members said they will pursue local EMT training and recruitment to reduce reliance on an older volunteer force. Several members urged a joint meeting among the city, the hospital and ambulance personnel to plan for continuity of service.
