EMS staffing shortages mean longer wait times for ambulances

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) - Across the country, sirens are going silent. EMS crews are taking longer to get to calls. Locally, some people have complained about waiting more than an hour for an ambulance.

When you call 911, you're hoping an ambulance arrives within minutes, but it's not always the case.

"It's been a problem in Beaver County for a while," Debbie Sawinski said.

Sawinski had a knee replacement and had some complications when she went home, including her leg swelling up.

"I was worried that it was a blood clot. It was to the point that I couldn't even walk," she said.

She called 911 and waited and waited. Her son's girlfriend called again.

"It didn't speed them up at all," Sawinksi said.

After an hour and a half, an ambulance arrived and she eventually got some help.

"It's extremely frustrating when on a busy day you know that service is being delayed to a client in need," said Bill Pasquale, the director of Medic Rescue, which covers Beaver County.

He said calls have to be prioritized because of the low number of crews. Trauma calls, chest problems and breathing issues will be at the top of their list, but some other issues get pushed down the list.

"Those people are going to have to wait, unfortunately. It's not something we like to do," Pasquale said.

Of their 20 ambulances, they have enough staff at their peak for eight trucks.

"We have trucks sitting around that could be staffed," Pasquale said at the ambulance center.

It's to the point that as a director, Pasquale will go out on calls to fill the need.

There can be times it's so busy, no crews are available and may have to leave a call to go respond to another.

"Before, if I took a call, it was the only call out there and waiting. Now, I'm taking a call with two or three calls maybe waiting," Pasquale told KDKA.

Pasquale said the field has been losing manpower for years, and if something is not done soon, we are facing a crisis.

"There's a limited number of ambulance services on the street regardless of the community every day of the week," Pasquale said.

"To wait over an hour for a squad, that's just unacceptable," Sawinski said over Zoom.

Pasquale said one challenge is people not signing up for EMS classes, others don't finish the course and some will get certified but not join the field. They are working with legislators to address this at the state and federal levels.