Emergency Medical Services Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday is Open to the Public

With recent issues regarding staffing of EMS workers and Paramedics in Winnebago County, a new proposal is being put forward by Winnebago County to possibly consolidate the three city services into one county program. Winnebago County Supervisor Terry Durby is behind the push to do so and has scheduled a public meeting.

The public is invited to attend this important meeting and information session. During the meeting, a number of scenarios may be discussed.

Staffing in some locations in Winnebago County is becoming difficult. Paramedic Spencer Armstrong of the Forest City Ambulance Service confirmed that some volunteers are putting in 400 hours per month to cover the open shifts.

EMS volunteers are aging out of the program and very few are coming in behind them to replace them. One option is consolidation, possibly out of a Thompson hub in order to have better shift coverage. This may increase response times in Forest City where a large part of the population, business, and industry reside.

The meeting will be open to comments from the public on Wednesday evening at 6pm in the NSB Bank Meeting Room in the basement of the building in Forest City.