Finding EMS Personnel Is Tough

The contractor building the new Jeff Davis County Emergency Medical Service building has said the building should be turnkey ready in early November.
But the county doesn’t have enough personnel to fill the new building.
Altamaha County Commissioner Ricky Crosby brought up the problem at last week’s meeting of the County Commission, saying he had gotten some calls about the sometime long wait times for an ambulance.
County Administrator Heather Scott said some applications have come in and there is a continuing effort to hire more people but they are hard to find.
“It’s a problem not only here but everywhere,” she said. “Because people realize they can make more money as a nurse. Everyone everywhere is having the problem.
Scott added that the county is competitive with other counties salary-wise.
EMS Director Edwin Williams said the EMS now has enough staff to run three shifts but has nowhere else to house more people until the new building is completed.
County Attorney Andy Ramay, who at the last meeting brought up the Judicial Circuit plans to provide equipment to allow virtual court proceedings, said the expenditure of $1.4 million for the entire Judicial Circuit had been approved. Glynn County has agreed to pay everything up front and Glynn would be reimbursed through a circuit-wide grant. He said Jeff Davis County would be responsible for paying for a maintenance agreement but all the necessary equipment would be paid for up front by Glynn County.
Ramay said Wayne and Camden counties have already agreed to participate in the program and Appling County may or may not participate because of issues with the courtroom there. He said he felt comfortable with the commission signing the agreement.
The commissioners voted to proceed with the project.
In other action, the commissioners ….
…. received a questionnaire on the Halderman Report from Bill Wasmund who was representing the Jeff Davis County Republican Party. Wasmund also said the Party approved supporting the elimination or reduction of school taxes for seniors age 65 and older and asked the commissioners to do the same.
…. approved the only bid received for the spray foam insulation application at the Jeff Davis Youth Center. The bid from Dowd’s Foam and Insulation of Lyons was $64,000.
…. heard an update from Scott on the upcoming election. With voting being held in the commission meeting room, the commission’s October and November meetings will be held in the courtroom.
…. discussed the need for motor graders in the Road Department, plans to move the 4-H program to the fairgrounds, and the need to raze the old Sheriff’s Department building to provide more courthouse parking.