By John Tunison
mlive.com
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. 鈥� An Ottawa County sheriff鈥檚 plan to phase out its paramedic units has Jenison area leaders looking at options.
Sheriff鈥檚 supervisors about three years ago announced the department鈥檚 E-unit program would be terminated because it was no longer sustainable.
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The E-units offer medically trained deputies that typically are the first to reach a medical call, followed by ambulance personnel.
鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 find paramedics that were deputies or deputies that were paramedics,鈥� Ottawa County Sheriff Eric DeBoer said.
The three primary areas served by the E-units were the townships of Holland, Park and Georgetown. Holland and Park townships last year developed alternative services and sheriff鈥檚 E-units were discontinued there last fall.
In Georgetown Township, there are seven deputies who also are paramedics. The township contracts with the county to provide the E-unit service as well as deputies specifically assigned to the township.
DeBoer said one particular issue with the E-unit program is that deputy paramedics aren鈥檛 likely to be promoted because of the difficulty in finding replacements.
Georgetown Township leaders are looking at three options for continuing a paramedic-level emergency response.
Township Superintendent Justin Stadt said he hopes to have an alternative service running by late spring of 2026.
Three options are on the table:
- Life EMS provides one 24-hour 鈥渕edical first response unit (MFRU)鈥� for $390,000.
- Life EMS provides two MFRUs, one 24-hours per day and a second unit from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during peak hours, for $520,000 the first year and increasing $20,000 each year thereafter.
- Georgetown Township Fire Department provides medical first responders at various levels of service, ranging from $604,000 to $2.7 million.
In the fire department鈥檚 proposal, supervisors there suggest the township consider a $1.7 million option to provide two paramedic staff at each of the township鈥檚 three fire stations on a 24-hour basis.
Firefighters would apply for a federal grant to cover up to 75% of the cost during the first two years.
Stadt said that maintaining some type of paramedic service is important.
Now, the E-unit responds to an average of eight medical calls each day.
鈥淚t should be a balance of service and what our needs are,鈥� he said. 鈥淓very community is different.鈥�
Township leaders will look to make decision on the various options in September and possibly have a new service in place by late spring of 2026.
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