MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A Monongalia County lawmaker wants Gov. Jim Justice to intervene in a effort to improve working conditions and pay for emergency service workers.
Del. Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, who serves as the chairman of the House’s Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services, said there are urgent needs.
“We’re reaching out to the governor to ask him to do the same thing he did with the nurses short term,” Statler said. “There’s got to be some money out of that federal relief available to help these EMS services.”
Gov. Justice announced a $48 million plan two weeks ago to retain current nurses, recruit additional nurses and train new nurses, as many as 2,000 in the next four years. The specifics of the program are to be finalized over the next few months.
Statler said EMS has similar needs. He said after two years of the pandemic many departments across the state are feeling the strain of long hours, stress, low wages and understaffed conditions. In the 32 counties statewide that have EMS services financial conditions are also a major challenge.
“Monongalia County is about $4.6 million in the red right now, and that’s not including Star City,” Statler said.
In Monongalia County, commissioners plan to consider financial solutions early this year. However, statewide Statler believes the problem must be addressed with the future in mind.
“It is certainly looming as a major medical problems in the state and it’s going to come like a tidal wave,” Statler said. “It’s going to come over us very shortly if we don’t do something short term and long term.”
Gov. Justice’s Chief of Staff Brian Abraham acknowledged during an appearance last week on MetroNews “Talkline” that the nursing issue wasn’t the only problem.
“Our other health care workers we are seeing these same problems with along with our emergency services workers,” Abraham said. “The governor put $10 million into that (EMS) crisis program and we’re going to have to work with those stakeholders in the (legislative) session to come up with a program.”
Chris Hall, the executive director of the West Virginia EMS Coalition, said he is deeply appreciative of the $10 million.
“EMS providers, in particular, feel like they’ve been overlooked during this COVID pandemic,” he said. “They’ve had to face many of the same struggles as nurses and hospitals, and this is really the first sign of appreciation that we have seen from the state to say thank you and assist them with those struggles.”
Hall said the workforce shortages among EMS groups are similar to the trend among nurses, but the problem is not talked about as much.
“Many of the ambulance agencies across the state are struggling to have enough personnel available to meet every call that comes in from 911,” he added. “We hope that we can work with some of these funds to strengthen our workforce, as well.”
Statler said attacking the problem with federal relief money would be a short-term option. But, staffing and training requirements also need to be examined to encourage more people to pursue the option as a career and retain emergency workers in the future.
“The biggest job of government in my opinion is providing for the safety of citizens and this certainly falls with in that,” Statler said. “Hopefully you would never need an ambulance, but if you do, you want it to be there.”
The combination of financial woes and staffing issues can force smaller counties to rely on neighboring providers or volunteer services in some cases. Statler said those arrangements increase response time and can limit availability of emergency services.
“In Preston County alone I believe they have lost two volunteer services in the last year and that county, if I’m not mistaken relies totally on the volunteer services,” Statler said.
Statler is working with state Senator Dave Sypolt, R-Preston County and Del. Buck Jennings, R-Preston County, on the issue.
The 60-day regular legislative session begins Wednesday, Jan. 12.