Monroe fire district puts new ambulance into service with ARPA funds

Monroe Fire Protection District rolled out its new ambulance service Wednesday in the hopes of aiding a strained 911 system by providing timely responses when no other ambulance is available. The service will provide basic life support transport, which involves simple life-saving procedures in emergencies, and will be staffed with two emergency medical technicians at all times. 

A second, back-up unit is set to enter service later this week, according to a news release.

Though IU Health LifeLine is the primary emergency medical transport provider in Monroe County, there are times when LifeLine is stretched thin. The organization has six ambulances serving Monroe County during the day and four that run overnight.

“It's very common for just this huge influx of emergency calls to come in, which overtax the system and they'll be out of ambulances,” MFPD Public Information Officer Jason Allen said.

In cases like these, the system relies on help from surrounding counties — which can mean longer response times due to distance. 

In 2023, Lawrence County placed a vehicle on standby for Monroe County nearly 500 times, according to data provided by Lawrence County’s dispatch commander, with 53 actual dispatches for an incident. So far this year, Lawrence has placed a vehicle on standby for Monroe 162 times. Monroe County usually requests an ambulance on standby when its trucks are busy with other calls, though other reasons can include staffing and mechanical issues with the vehicle.

The Monroe County commissioners approached MFPD with a plan to create backup ambulances with the help of American Rescue Plan Act dollars, Allen said.

"By us having a backup that's already in Monroe County, it saves that response time drastically," Allen said. "Now we can cut that in half, and even more, depending on how close they are."

The MFPD will eventually have four ambulances, though two are still being built, Allen said. The efforts have been aided by supply donations from Monroe Hospital, such as automatic external defibrillators. 

Thomas Whitehead, director of marketing and business development at Monroe Hospital, said the devices can monitor a patient’s heart rate and deliver a shock to restore a heartbeat, if necessary, while simultaneously wirelessly transmitting the readings to the hospital. Whitehead said he was first approached by the MFPD several years ago and is glad to see the project finally come together after supply chain and pandemic-related setbacks.

“We're really happy to be not only a provider of that type of care, but to be able to assist in our citizens receiving that care around the community,” he said.

Reach Marissa Meador at mmeador@gannett.com.