Justin Guido

The county commissioners approved an agreement with Butler County Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 20, to address the shortage of emergency medical technicians by creating the EMS Academy.

“It is with great pleasure,” Robert McLafferty, county 911 coordinator, said he presented an outline of the program at the commissioners’ meeting.

Up to 12 students per class will be paid $13 an hour while they take the eight-week program to become fully certified emergency medical technicians. They will be required to work full-time for a county ambulance service for a year after they graduate, according to officials and program documents.

Commissioners approved a contract for the academy with BC3 through 2026. The academy will be funded with $600,000 from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund.

The idea came from discussions with emergency medical service providers, who reported many people interested in EMT training programs, which take six months, don’t complete the programs or don’t have the time to take them, said Leslie Osche, commissioners’ chairwoman.

The free academy program takes two months to complete and students are paid during their studies, she said.

The program eliminates the barriers of the cost of existing programs and income while studying, Commissioner Kevin Boozel said.

He said the program is a great start toward addressing the shortage of 125 EMTs in the county. He said there are 11 EMS agencies in the county.

McLafferty said most of the EMS services in the county have verbally committed to providing students with ride-along training and mentors, and to hire graduates.

Up to 12 students can enroll in each eight-week program and two programs will be held each year for three years, meaning up to 72 students will become EMTs through the academy, McLafferty said.

Weekly clinical experience at the hospital or with an EMS service and driving are included in the training. Graduates will have all the certifications they need to begin working, he said

The goal is to have the first class in place by June, McLafferty said.

He said several county officials, BC3 and Butler Memorial Hospital worked together to create the program.

Osche said emergency medical services and hospitals are financially struggling because their costs are not covered by the reimbursements they receive from insurance companies.

She said the commissioners’ next task is to work with municipalities to address funding for EMS agencies.

Commissioner Kim Geyer said counties have to work with the state legislature to address EMS funding, but municipalities are responsible for providing public safety.

In other emergency services business, the commissioners approved a $7,000 contract with JH Consulting to track hazardous materials being shipped through the county by railroad.

The company will conduct a commodity flow study that involves sitting at major railroad crossings and counting the tanker cars in trains, said Steve Bicehouse, emergency services director.

A study will then be performed to make sure railroads are accurately reporting on the hazardous materials being transported.

“He does a rail study to make sure what the railroads are reporting is what’s truly coming through,” Bicehouse said.

The state will reimburse the county for the cost of the study.