EMS service falls through gaps in Waitsburg

WAITSBURG-A lack of volunteers at the Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District 2 has had an ongoing impact on the community it serves, primarily Waitsburg.

Fire Commissioner Ashley Strickland cannot stress enough that emergency medical volunteers are in dire need in the area, especially those who can respond to daytime calls. Still, it's not just Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) that are being sought. If being at the forefront of saving lives or battling flames is not your thing, the department needs volunteers at the station itself that you can likely fill.

"If you want to go to EMT school, we (the district) will pay for it," Strickland shared. "If you want to go to firefighting school, we will pay for it. You don't have to go to either. We need people who don't have those certifications; wildland fires- people who will bring refreshments or snacks to people on wildland calls. We just need people who will respond."

The lack of responding volunteers has been an ongoing issue with the small joint-district station located on Main Street in Waitsburg. Recently, a lack of response may have had a devastating impact, Strickland shared, after a 911 call came in around 1:00 a.m. requesting emergency response for an elderly woman in respiratory distress. No one from CWWFD2 responded, and by the time an ambulance arrived from Walla Walla, it was too late.

Unfortunately, it is not the first call that has gone unanswered leaving Strickland, and community members, frustrated. Just two years ago, a call came through dispatch that a four-year-old child had choked on an object, and was turning blue, slipping in and out of consciousness. Strickland recalled that a Columbia County Deputy, who was sitting in Strickland's Dayton office, made it to the area home before any of the Waitsburg-based medical personnel. Only after calls to volunteers' personal cell phones did a CWWFD2 volunteer respond.

Not necessarily a lack of drive, Strickland conjected, but more of a lack of a sufficient volunteer base. He estimated that there were nine to ten volunteers that regularly responded to calls from the Waitsburg station, however, only four members are trained EMT's.

"I want to acknowledge the fact that we (the district) are well aware of the fact that we are missing calls, but we only have so many volunteers," Strickland shared. "There are less than 10 people covering this town, 98 percent of the time."

Matt Spring, an officer within CWWFD2, added that all of the ten active volunteers have jobs, kids, and families.

Lack of field experience and training opportunities are likely contributing to volunteers' hesitation to respond to medical calls.

"The volume of calls that they get here... you aren't going to get comfortable as an EMT," he said. Before moving to the Touchet Valley, Strickland worked as a paramedic for more than 20 years. He said that ridealong days with larger departments, such as those in the Tri Cities, could be arranged if an EMT wanted to get more field experience. It is just one step that Strickland is willing to take to bring a stronger medical response to the community.

In an important note to residents, Stickland wanted to clarify that the Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District 2 does not have a full-service ambulance. While residents may see a vehicle that looks like an ambulance at the station, it is an aid car, meant only to provide basic care until an ambulance arrives from Dayton or Walla Walla. The CWWFD2 first responders can do basic care including basic first-aid, CPR, and gathering patient information. The aid car cannot transport patients to a medical facility.

Waitsburg formed the Waitsburg Ambulance Service which provided transport service from 1971 to the end of 2015. In the first year, Waitsburg Ambulance Service made a total of 33 runs and by 2015, it was making nearly 250 runs per year. The ambulance service and city fire department were disbanded December 31, 2015 and both services were handed over to CWWFD2. Eventurally, Waitsburg contracted with Columbia Fire District 3 for transport as funding, training and number of volunteers dropped significantly. At the time, there were only fourteen volunteers in Waitsburg.

While a transport ambulance is something that many, including Strickland, would like to see return to the district, they first need to rebuild the volunteer base.

"Today, I just want someone who will grab a truck, hold a clipboard, and comfort someone while they wait for transport," Strickland said, understanding that to bring service back, the district must build from the bottom up.

"You don't have to be a firefighter or EMT to volunteer," said Strickland.

The needs and requirements for Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District 2 vary from position to position, and minimum involvement can be flexible depending on how you volunteer. Strickland said there are plenty of jobs for those who do not want to fight fire or become an EMT. These jobs include, truck maintenance, bookkeeping, and support for emergency responders.

If you would like to inquire for further information, or if you would like to get a jump start on training, stop by the Columbia-Walla Walla Fire District 2 station, 234 Main Street or visit the website, http://www.cwwfd2.com.