The ongoing EMS crisis, characterized by staffing shortages and concerns about Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates, has compelled Wayne County to establish its own ambulance service beginning July 1.
The county aims to address response time issues and fill gaps left by shuttered agencies, with plans to take over Lyons Ambulance, build two new stations, and employ a staff of 50.
Wayne County Administrator Rick House noted that the county is allocating over a million dollars in federal ARPA money towards the project, with the remainder coming from the general fund balance, potentially totaling up to $15 million.
The move follows similar initiatives in other counties, such as Livingston County’s countywide ambulance service and Erie County’s plans to set up a county-run EMS system. The EMTs and paramedics hired by Wayne County will be civil servants eligible for state pensions.
House emphasized that the goal is not to poach from existing ambulance companies or force closures, but to cover underserved remote areas and provide support when smaller agencies are occupied.
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