McHenry Township Fire Protection District news

Excerpts from shawlocal.com:

The McHenry Township Fire Protection District is preparing for a significant rise in emergency calls, projecting 7,400 service requests in 2022—a 7.6% increase from the previous year. This follows a 21% surge in ambulance calls over the past two years, highlighting growing demand for emergency services.

Like many sectors, the fire department is facing challenges such as a shrinking pool of applicants for firefighter positions, longer wait times for equipment, and ongoing supply chain issues. To address staffing shortages, the district recently made a major shift by introducing full-time firefighters for the first time. In December, the board approved the hiring of 12 full-time firefighter/paramedics, marking a move away from a mostly part-time workforce.

In May, another 12 full-time firefighters were added. These new hires join existing full-time staff, including lieutenants, battalion chiefs, and 90 part-time firefighters, ensuring 24/7 coverage across the district’s five stations. The area served includes Bull Valley, Johnsburg, Holiday Hills, Lakemoor, McCullom Lake, McHenry, Ringwood, portions of Wonder Lake and Island Lake, and unincorporated parts of McHenry County.

A key challenge now is maintaining adequate ambulance coverage. The district recently received a $361,000 grant from Advance McHenry County to purchase a sixth ambulance. Five more are on order, part of a seven-year vehicle rotation plan. Two are expected in October—earlier than originally scheduled—and one in March 2023. Another two, ordered in July, won’t arrive until 2024. When they do come, there could be an 18-month to two-year lead time for the grant-funded unit.

Currently, the district operates seven ambulances. Five are stationed at fire stations, while two are kept on standby for special events, high call volumes, or emergencies when Other units are unavailable.

More ambulance calls are coming with longer transport times. The time it takes to transport a patient to a hospital and return can take from 30 minutes to more than an hour.

To help manage the rising number of calls, the district has taken proactive steps. Falls, lift assists, and mental health evaluations account for about a third of all medical calls. The department is implementing educational programs to prevent falls and collaborating with local social workers to reduce unnecessary mental health-related ambulance responses.

The pandemic also had a lasting impact on call volume. At the start of the crisis in March 2020, ambulance calls dropped as patients avoided hospitals. However, this trend reversed in the summer as delayed care led to increased demand. Since March 13, 2020, the district has transported 769 individuals with COVID-19.

Thanks, Rob

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