By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
Williams County EMS personnel have continued to provide excellent service throughout the past year. This is not just exclusive to the past year though, as excellence has been achieved for some time now.
This excellence is not without its difficulties though, as EMS Director Kyle Brigle points out. When asked what difficulties EMS personnel have experienced, Brigle mentioned the aging fleet.
For most departments around the area, state, and even the country as a whole, new trucks have been few and far between.
Currently, a back order of 2-3 years for new squads is the expectation. Part of this issue will be alleviated though, once new ambulances are received. The county currently has two new ones on order.
This equipment is also being used more when compared to last year. EMS in Williams County have been receiving more calls for help this year, with numbers averaging 25 more calls per month over last year.
Combine that with a want to be more visible in the community, and it means equipment in the county is seeing a fair amount of use.
As far as increased community outreach goes, Brigle explained that a community outreach committee is pushing for EMS in the county to be more visible.
This will help foster even more positive interactions with members of the community. Additional committees that were formed are also looking to work with employees and focus on things such as truck inventories, protocols, and quality assurance.
One of those highlighted areas, the protocols, has been one reason EMS in the county have been able to save lives. “Under the direction of our medical director Dr. Todd Brookens, we have aggressive protocols that allow potential life-saving interventions to begin in a patient’s home before they are transported to a local hospital,” said Brigle.
This works hand in hand with training. Brigle explained that Williams County EMS is an American Heart Association training center. Classes are offered that focus on BLS and Heart Saver CPR.
Williams County EMS is also accredited by the State of Ohio as an EMR and EMT Training Center. Initial courses are able to be offered for those who want to become an EMR or EMT.
In fact, an EMT class will be held this September for those interested. Anyone who is interested can contact 419-636-6751 extension 2 for EMR and EMT classes or extension 3 for CPR classes.
This training has helped crews in Williams County deal with some extraordinary situations. Brigle explained that one such extraordinary event took place back in the summer of 2023.
Crews were called out to assist a pregnant female and ended up assisting the mother during the delivery of her child in the back of the ambulance, just a few blocks away from the hospital.
“A month later the crews were able to reunite with the family which is something truly special for the crew,” said Brigle.
Brigle also followed up with the following when asked about Williams County EMS as a whole. “We have an extraordinary group of people at WCEMS. We have first responders in communities throughout the county who volunteer to be on call to serve the people of their communities.”
“The crews that run our Life Squads are truly talented people. Each person brings a different set of skills, knowledge, and experience to the table that each of us can learn from and grow as a system. Lastly, we are affiliated with the fire departments in the City of Bryan, and Villages of Pioneer, Kunkle, and Alvordton to assist in providing medical direction and assist with training of Emergency Medical Responders in those communities.”
“This group of people are not employed by WCEMS but offer an invaluable service to our system and their communities.”
Thank you to the men and women of the Williams County EMS system for all you do.