GREENWOOD TWP — The pilot program to provide Advanced Life Support emergency response in rural areas is already showing results. The Sprint Medic program is a pilot project funded by a $6-plus million state grant, to provide ALS emergency care services to three rural parts of the state, including the Tower-Soudan and Cook-Orr-Nett Lake areas.
At the March 10 Greenwood Annual Meeting, Virginia Fire Department Assistant Chief Erik Jonassen gave residents an overview of the program, which rolled out on Jan. 19. The current $2.4 million in funding will keep the pilot project going through June 2027, he said, or until the money runs out.
Virginia paramedics are staffing two vehicles, one is based in the Tower-Soudan area, the other in Cook-Orr-Nett Lake. One paramedic is on duty on weekdays, leaving the Virginia Fire Hall by 7:30 a.m., and then serving on-call in their area until 8 p.m. Jonassen said the paramedic hours are being adjusted to 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
“There were some difficulties with 12-hour coverage,” he said. He explained the paramedics need to be at the Virginia fire hall by 7 a.m. to do vehicle and supply checks, and then are on the road at 7:30 a.m., and at the end of their shift, leaving the coverage area at 8 p.m. This means they are still on duty until at least 9 p.m.
“With a 14-plus hour a day shift,” he explained, “they are having trouble covering their usual shifts.”
The program is staffed by staff in Virginia, who sign up for the overtime-paying shifts on their off days. Staffing in Virginia, as in most rural ambulance services, he explained, is tight. And while they are able to handle the extra work in the winter, it will be harder in the summer, when demand is usually higher. This was the only potential downside, he noted. He said his department is currently onboarding some new members, and will look at possibly increasing the shift times, and perhaps shifting some on the Monday, Tuesday hours (currently these are the least busy days) to the weekends, in the summer.
The paramedics participating in the program have gone through months of extra training.
“It takes a different set of skills,” he said. “They are working as a single paramedic, not paired with another EMT.”
Another challenge is the service area, some of which is “wilderness.”
In the first seven weeks of the program, the sprint medics have responded to 31 calls, of which 15 required ALS transports.
“The program has absolutely exceeded our expectations,” he said. “By all of the metrics we are tracking.” Data is being collected on response times, route times, patient surveys, and assisting agency surveys.
“Everyone seems excited to have ALS out in their community.”
Jonassen said average response times are in a few minutes, and average time on scene is nine minutes.
Former Greenwood Chair Mike Ralston asked about the possibility of having the sprint medic vehicle housed in Greenwood.
Jonassen said the vehicle wanders throughout the service area, and is currently spending time at the Breitung Fire Hall, in addition to Tower, so this was definitely an option.
Residents at the meeting had a host of other questions.
Chelsea Grover asked how the duty hours were chosen, whether they were based on call times or just arbitrary. Jonassen noted that the staffing time was basically arbitrary, since call volumes are not predictable. He did say they tend to fall off at night, so daytime coverage was more important.
Jet Galonski asked what will happen when the pilot project’s funding runs out.
“The best mind readers don’t have any idea what the Legislature will do,” Jonassen said. “But the proof is already in the pudding that this is a worthwhile program and it needs to find permanent funding.”
David Farley wondered what the medics do during their shifts when not responding to a call. Jonassen said they do spend time driving around and getting familiar with the area, roads, boat landings, and businesses. They also attend local ambulance meetings, spend time out in the community, visit area hospitals, and are starting some outreach at area schools. Since the program is being staffed by a rotating number of medics, they each do need time to be familiar with the area. The medics are also a valuable resource for the local ambulance services, able to provide training and other assistance when they are on duty.
Karen Saarela asked him to describe a typical response call. Jonassen said if a 911 call is medical and may need the paramedic on scene, the medic responds immediately, since they are always with their vehicle. This means they can be first on scene. “They are on route within a minute or two,” he said. “Once on scene, they assess the patient.”
If the call does not require advanced medical care, they will go back on patrol once the BLS service arrives.
If the call does require advanced medical care, they will hop on the ambulance and stay with the patient until they get to the hospital.
This sometimes means leaving the sprint medic vehicle on scene, he said, but patient care is the priority. Then, another responder can bring the vehicle back to the Tower Ambulance Hall.
“This model is very similar to what the McGrath study recommended,” said Ralston. Greenwood had commissioned a study of ways to bring ALS level service to Greenwood. One of the four final recommendations of this report, completed back in early 2023, was to contract with the Virginia Fire Department to provide a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle based in the township. Other options were for the township to create their own ambulance service, partner with Bois Forte on a service, or developing a community paramedic program.
In closing, Jonassen said his paramedics are very happy with the program also.
“It gives them different types of calls and experiences,” he said. “And it gives them a chance to grow as paramedics.”