A Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) study by the Virginia Fire Services Board recommends that Patrick County recognize volunteer fire and EMS departments as part of its infrastructure, develop a countywide fire and rescue strategic plan, adopt a fire and EMS ordinance, and implement several other measures.
The study was requested by the Patrick County Board of Supervisors and conducted in partnership with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs and the Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Medical Services.
“Many of the recommendations are tied to this common theme as it is critical to the continued delivery of fire and EMS services in Patrick County,” the study states.
EMS Director Scottie Cassell said the study will be presented to the board sometime in April so members can decide whether to accept the report. The board is not required to adopt the study’s recommendations.
Cassell said the Fire Services Board conducted individual meetings with each fire and EMS department.
“I had no influence, the county had no influence over anybody, and nobody knew the questions that were going to be asked. They (state officials) sat down with them as long as it took to get through their survey with them,” he said.
After the surveys were completed, the information was compiled and returned to the county in draft form for review.
“We looked over it, nothing needed to be changed, and we sent it back. We can’t change any of the content, so we just had to make sure all the names were spelled right of the departments and everything,” Cassell said.
The Department of Fire Programs then voted to approve the study as a recommendation before sending it back to the county in late March.
Cassell said he is glad a third party conducted the study.
“It’s not the county or me saying this is what we need, this is a third party looking at us as a whole and saying these are things that could make you all better,” he said.
Recommendations
Cassell said he believes the biggest recommendation in the study involves financial matters.
“Recommendations include implementing regular audits, revising the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to account for fleet needs, and the county covering fuel and insurance costs for fire and EMS apparatus. Establishing a damaged equipment fund and exploring collective purchasing opportunities for cost savings are also advised. Additionally, creating an apparatus maintenance program will help extend the life of equipment and reduce repair expenses,” the study states.
The report notes that effective financial management is crucial to ensuring fire and EMS services can operate efficiently and continue meeting the community’s needs.
“Proper allocation of resources, transparency in spending, and long-term financial planning are essential to sustaining the county’s emergency services infrastructure,” the study states. “The county must recognize volunteer fire and EMS agencies will require greater support from the county with funding now and in the future.”
Cassell said fire protection is required by law in Virginia. Without the county’s nine volunteer fire departments, he estimates that replacing their equipment and manpower would cost the county millions of dollars.
“Volunteers are needed, especially with a rural setting, because without volunteers it’s a very, very high bill for a county to assume. We’ve been working on a volunteer system for many years here and it’s still working. It needs some help financially, and it is hard. They’re independent businesses and it costs a lot to operate these trucks,” he said.
Cassell estimated that a standard “cookie-cutter” truck—consisting of just a truck and a tank—costs nearly $600,000.
“They get expensive,” he said.
Another recommendation is for the county to develop a comprehensive fire and rescue strategic plan.
“County leadership should work with fire and EMS departments to set short- and long-term goals, incorporating community input. The plan should be regularly reviewed and address personnel, facilities, equipment, and infrastructure needs,” the study states.
Cassell said this type of planning can be done in coordination with county leaders and department chiefs and captains.
He also supports the recommendation to develop a fire and EMS ordinance, noting it is something that “needs to be done anyway” and that he plans to begin drafting one.
Cassell said the county is already making progress on the recommendation to expand training opportunities, with Fire I, Fire II, and several other classes offered throughout the year.
When it comes to recruitment and retention, he said the issue is not unique to Patrick County.
“If we had an answer for that one, we’d be millionaires, but that is a tough one,” he said.
Cassell said the recommendation to create a tactical playbook of Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) is something that can be done internally.
“Then again, getting everyone to agree” to them “is another thing,” he said.
Other notable recommendations include clarifying the role of the EMS director, conducting a narrowly focused community risk assessment, addressing the poor condition of Station 8, and improving communications.
“There’s a lot of recommendations and we have to see what the board wants us to work on and do. A lot of it is communication, and a lot of it we can do in-house for little or no money. It’s just going to take groups sitting down and working together,” Cassell said.
