Area EMS report average call numbers
Contrary to what people might expect, most area fire departments saw an overall drop in calls as shutdowns in Ohio began but those numbers steadily returned to normal levels.
The pattern in recent years has been an increase in EMS calls but total call volumes dropped slightly in 2020, thanks in large part to lower call volumes in the early part of the year as people
did everything in their power to avoid medical facilities during the beginning of the pandemic.
“Our regular emergency calls for more serious incidents were unchanged but we did see a lot fewer calls where people wanted to go to the hospital just to get checked out,” St. Marys Fire Chief Doug Ayers said.
The most significant decrease in calls for the St. Marys Fire Department came in the first quarter with 49 fewer calls for service in comparison to 2019 run numbers — 255 compared to 304.
“When the pandemic first started, there was a lot of unknown and a lot of people didn’t want to go to the hospital because there was so much unknown,” Ayers explained. “Our nursing home runs didn’t really change throughout the year but yes, there was a decrease overall at first.”
By the time the second and third quarters came around, Ayers reported the department was back up to average numbers of EMS runs, seeing only minor differences in run volumes between 2019 and 2020 with 282 in the second quarter of 2020 — compared to 291 in 2019 — and 271 in the third quarter — compared to 274 in 2019.
By the fourth quarter, EMS runs for St. Marys increased from 324 in 2019 to 349 in 2020.
Wapakoneta EMS call totals show a drop starting in March, with 169 EMS calls in 2019 compared to 147 calls in 2020. The trend continued through the summer but as fall began, EMS runs began to be more comparable to or exceeded the number of calls in 2019.
While run volumes have returned to pre-COVID levels, not everything will be going back to the way it was before which is not all bad news. Previous health incidents and developments prompted changes in EMS operations, such as the addition of wearing gloves when interacting with patients — prior to the late 1980s, gloves weren’t deemed necessary for EMS but that changed as awareness of diseases grew.
“I think the surgical masks are here to stay for us,” Ayers said. “Maybe not for every run — once we’re through all the COVID stuff — but if the patient has a cough or other respiratory symptoms, I see the masks being part of our everyday supply.”
He also noted that the new ambulance the city is in the process of purchasing will feature negative pressure fans for increased ventilation and an automatic disinfectant fogger system.
“When we get back from a run, the guys will be able to attach a hose to an exterior port, flip a switch and the entire patient compartment will be disinfected,” Ayers explained. “I visited the manufacturer that is building our ambulance and every single unit they were building, had this feature added on.”