Pendleton Fire & Ambulance explores community paramedic

PENDLETON – Pendleton Fire & Ambulance has  a staff of seven emergency responders each shift. Chief Tony Pierotti says those seven are stretched thin since emergency calls require at least two people. He said one way of doing that could be to hire at least one community paramedic.

Pierotti has spoken often of 911 calls that must be answered, but don’t really qualify as a medical emergency. It’s estimated those total about 15 percent of the 911 calls. He says those people do need help, but the help they need is not received with a trip to the hospital in an ambulance.

“It would give us more resources to run emergencies,” he said. “Better yet, it gives those citizens that need help in a certain way the right help instead of just being cycled in and out of an ambulance.”

Pierotti says he’s working with St. Anthony Hospital and hopes to get a grant for a community paramedic that would cover three years by the spring. He said he’s also pursuing other grant funding, because the more help the better.

File photo of Chief Tony Pierotti

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Elkhorn Media Group