Trainee Mark Pierson prepares a bag of pretend blood to be administered to a person who had lost blood from a high fall during routine training at the Cranberry Township Public Safety Training Center on Monday. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

If everybody who owns a house on a city block is having problems with groundhogs, wouldn’t it make sense for those people to work together to deal with the situation?

History is full of examples of united fronts collectively handling a common problem. Prime examples are the axis and allied forces in World War II. From that sprung the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has brought together 32 nations that work together against the world’s bad actors.

Staff writer Hunter Muro told us in the Wednesday edition about a collective effort here in Butler County.

Eight municipalities in the southwestern part of the county have banded together to conduct an intergovernmental emergency medical services study to uncover what can be done about ongoing funding and staffing issues.

Cranberry Township leaders began formulating a plan for the study and then invited Evans City, Harmony, Seven Fields, Zelienople and Jackson, Forward and Lancaster townships.

County commissioners recently agreed to fund 80% of the study, while the eight municipalities each will contribute $1,200 to cover the final 20%.

Cranberry Township EMS and Harmony EMS also agreed to participate, although those nonprofits were not asked to contribute financially. There will be no change to how those two organizations operate during the study.

Rising costs for local EMS services have hit a crisis point, according to Cranberry Township manager Dan Santoro. Finding viable solutions to that problem is largely what sparked the motivation to take action.

Funding and staffing issues are not unique to local departments. The problem is vexing departments nationwide. This study is likely not the only one that has, is or will take place. The important question: Are data from the studies being shared with other departments?

While it’s great that local departments are working together for the common good, we hope the information they come up with is shared to help other struggling departments. And we hope similar collectives are sharing their findings as well.

A united front against EMS shortages is a more productive front.

— RJ

Crew chief and instructor John Mooney, middle, watches as Mark Pierson, left, and Jon Jurysta prepare a mannequin to be lifted onto a gurney during an emergency situation where a person has fallen from a high distance and needed medical treatment during routine training at the Cranberry Township Public Safety Training Center on Monday. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Mark Pierson, left, and Jon Jurysta give medical attention to a pretend victim who was partially crushed in an accident during routine training at the Cranberry Township Public Safety Training Center on Monday. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw