there are fewer trained staff to respond to other medical emergencies around the state EMTs are in short supply in North Jersey a county-wide EMS unit is being rolled out to help local agencies struggling to keep up amid dwindling volunteers senior correspondent Joanna gagas has that story in local communities where they're still relying on volunteerism to help sort of respond to the community needs EMS is unfortunately one of those several disciplines that really need the extra help but across the state of New Jersey there's a growing Emergency Medical Service responder shortage that in some places has reached crisis level EMTs have historically been volunteer positions and people just aren't turning out for the job anymore as times have changed and more people have had to work two jobs or three jobs a lot of wives have gone to work to support the families because there just wasn't enough money coming in so our membership started dropping it really has gotten much worse in the last few years especially due to covid Paula Weiler says during the worst of the pandemic they lost younger volunteers due to State restrictions and many older volunteers gave it up for fear of getting sick I would also say that this shortage sort of aligns with the medical shortage overall in general we see hospitals looking for doctors and nurse nurses and especially EMTs in fact the shortage of EMTs has led many towns to shut down their EMS programs altogether towns like Elmwood Park Maywood and North Haledon and Bergen County just a few examples where the issue became so critical that the County government stepped in we're waiting 45 minutes for an ambulance Mayors were calling saying the County's got to help we need help we just can't do it alone in our small communities and so we heard the call we ended up launching a about a month ago the Bergen County EMS transportation service County regionalized emergency response program for the 70 municipalities in Bergen County by using insurance reimbursements they have four ambulances in servicenow and they're working toward growing the program The Challenge is purchasing ambulances they're about two years to three years for a delivery and so we will be buying more and we'll be hiring more EMTs do you think this is a situation where municipalities need to be for the position rather than basing it solely on volunteerism it isn't the end-all be-all answer that will resolve this issue that will resolve this shortage at all to argue there are hospitals that are looking for nurses and they're paying as much as they possibly can and it's still just a terrible situation even the paid agencies you know that hire people and pay them salaries the hospital-based ambulance cores are also having problems finding EMTs to Ride part of it is uh due to the length of training time and part of it is just trying to support yourself first and then still taking the classes doing the studying and going back to your job the next day when you may have been up for five or six or seven hours cutting into your sleep time volunteers don't need any previous medical experience they will need to complete 250 hours of training plus maintain CPR training but one of the most important qualifications having a Generous Heart wanting to help their neighbors out covert restrictions have now been lifted so people as young as 16 can volunteer as EMTs 16 and 17 year olds only need to give six hours in a two-week period anyone over 18 needs to give 22 hours in two weeks but when you volunteer is really up to you in Fairlawn I'm Joanna gagis NJ Spotlight news [Music]