BATAVIA — A consultant’s report on the future of volunteer fire and EMS services in Genesee County is due to be released publicly in August, a Genesee County emergency services official said this week.
“The report was issued to the fire service and elected officials a few weeks ago,” said Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger. “We wanted to make sure we afford them the opportunity so they could understand what the report contained before it went public.”
In April 2021, the county hired Municipal Resources Inc. (MRI), to evaluate how fire and EMS services are currently provided in the county and offer options that address the short and long-range needs of the community as the county tries to ensure efficient and competent fire/EMS services for the future.
The MRI team’s work included coming to Genesee County for three days about a year ago to tour the county, visit several fire stations and hold meetings locally. MRI conducted 21 meetings with community leaders and key stakeholders to make introductions, exchange information and gain valuable insight.
Yaeger noted in January during a Committee of the Whole meeting of the Genesee County Legislaure noted the seriousness of the local EMS crisis.
“EMS transporting capabilities are diminished with lengthy response times and really bad stories going on across the state and within our region,” Yaeger said then. “I know some counties are looking at municipal ambulance service, all kinds of options as to how we can right the ship.”
The county’s volunteer fire departments were also struggling with serious staffing issues.
As part of the MRI work, surveys were sent to fire and EMS agencies, and there was an online survey for the public to complete. Yaeger said in February that the deadline for accepting responses had been the end of February, but added that surveys and questionnaires were to be collected through the end of March.
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