MONTROSE – During the Tuesday, Oct. 16 meeting of the Montrose Township Board, Twin Township Ambulance operations manager Adam Mazur-Baker informed the township board that the ambulance service would be reducing its hours in Montrose.
Mazur-Baker said, “The biggest problem is a reduction in staff. We are in the process of trying to hire some additional staff.” He explained that there are fewer students in emergency medical service (EMS) school.
Emmendorfer said, “We have had a contract with Twin Township, paying $500 (per month) for the ALS ambulance.” He explained that he wants the township board to look at the contract to see if they want to amend it.
Mazur-Baker said, “In 2010, we had a contract; they didn’t go with the closest truck.” He explained that the county changed the way ambulances are dispatched. Now it goes by closest ambulance. He explained that Twin Township would be coming back from a hospital in Flint, when a call for Montrose would come through, while they were returning to Montrose. Another ambulance service would be closer, so it would be dispatched.
Mazur-Baker talked about the possibility of turning the Montrose ambulance building into a training facility.
Emmendorfer explained that if the township board could find out exactly what’s going on, they might consider amending the contract.
Emmendorfer said, “Either they’re going to get the call or MMR. You’re never going to have enough ambulances. It’s a numbers game.” He said the five to seven-minute response times will instead be 10 to 15 minutes.
Mazur-Baker said they’ve been working on trying to get more staff. After that’s resolved, they’d have more answers.
Domine moved to continue the discussion at the November meeting.