CHI St. Anthony grant will fund community paramedic program for Pendleton Fire & Ambulance

PENDLETON – Elkhorn Media Group has learned that Pendleton Fire & Ambulance will receive a $500,000 from CHI St. Anthony to fund the department’s community paramedic program for three years.

Fire Chief Tony Pierotti said that the grant will enable his staff to get appropriate care for those who are struggling while it will allow the emergency medical services and emergency responder personnel to focus on true emergency car.

Pierotti has often spoken about the large number of 911 calls that are not true medical emergencies, but are a sign that an individual needs help. With a program in place, that will allow the department to handle medical emergencies while still helping individuals who, while not qualifying as medical emergencies, clearly need help.

“One person last year in Pendleton called us 150 times,” Pierotti said in an earlier interview. “Community paramedics will help us take care of some of that call load.”

Pierotti said that approximately 15 percent of the 911 calls his department receives do not qualify as medical emergencies.

File photo of Pendleton Fire & Ambulance Chief Tony Pierotti

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Elkhorn Media Group