Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
The first civilian ambulance was put into service in 1865 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and since then, volunteer and paid EMTs and paramedics have been answering medical emergency calls across the nation.
Back in the day, it wasn’t hard to find volunteers who offered their assistance to local fire departments and rescue squads in their off time and on weekends. They had full-time jobs or were retirees who wanted to help.
There has been a nationwide decline for the past two decades in the number of people who are willing or able to volunteer.
Pocahontas County Emergency Services has felt this strain for several years for many reasons – residents travel out of town or state to work during the week, they already work more than one job or they want to make a career out of being in EMS and there aren’t any paid positions available.
It takes a lot to be an EMT or paramedic. Lots of training, tests and a strong will to help people.
Marlinton fire chief and paramedic Herby Barlow grew up in the emergency services. His dad, Richard, was on the Marlinton crew, and Herby joined as soon as he could.
Things have changed through the years and Barlow is concerned about what will happen to EMS in Pocahontas County if more volunteers don’t come forward.
“You’ve got your training – twelve to eighteen months for a paramedic; six months for an EMT,” he said. “Sixteen hours for a driver. I don’t know where to attract them from.”
The classes are extensive and many of those taking them also have full-time jobs, like Barlow did when he took the paramedic class. He was a West Virginia State Trooper at the time.
“It took me five times to pass [the national test],” he said. “I hate taking tests. I was the only one in my class that was working a regular job. I was still a trooper when I took my test. I was running calls, running a detachment.”
Barlow’s daughter, Nicole, who is one of two paid EMTs at Marlinton is taking the paramedic class now. She takes off one day a week of work to do so.
Becoming a paramedic does include a pay increase, but not by much. Almost all the paramedics in Pocahontas County work second jobs to make a living wage.
There is a junior program for high school students, but Barlow said the squad’s insurance doesn’t like for an 18-year-old to drive an ambulance. It is legal but frowned upon due to the lack of experience.
With changes in regulations through the years, each medical call has become more time consuming. When Barlow started, there was one sheet of paper for each call. It was carbon and instantly made three copies of the one-paper report.
Now, there is a nine-page report that must be completed within 72 hours of each call. That includes all calls – car accidents, medical emergencies and transports to the hospital.
There must be at least two medical providers on each ambulance call and the ambulances can only transport one patient at a time.
“It used to be you could haul multiple patients in an ambulance,” Barlow said. “In our ambulances, you can only have one patient. That’s all that will fit. You get a two-vehicle accident – two minivans that have four people that are injured in each van, we don’t have enough ambulances to haul them. It used to be you could haul four patients in an ambulance, but state law doesn’t allow that.”
Barlow also makes sure there is an ambulance on scene when there is a fire. It’s not a state requirement, but he does it for the safety of all involved.
“If we have a fire, we want an ambulance there,” he said. “If your house is on fire, I’m going to bring an ambulance – not necessarily for you. If you were injured, we would use it, but it’s for the firefighters.
“I want the ambulance there to haul me to the hospital when I get hurt or whatever,” he added.
It is a hazard of the job. There are many times firefighters are taken to the hospital for injuries, smoke inhalation or exhaustion.
The Marlinton department also helps with securing landing zones when a helicopter is needed at Pocahontas Memorial Hospital or at another site in the county for a severe accident.
“The hospital’s insurance wants us there because it’s an approved landing zone, but it’s not an FAA landing zone,” Barlow said. “I think last year, we did a total of 93 LZs. Not all of them were at the hospital.
“We do a lot of LZs at the top of Elk Mountain, meeting Shavers Fork coming over,” he continued. “We’ve done a couple up at the high school and different places.”
Being an EMT or paramedic takes its toll – physically and emotionally. While the risk of injury is usually temporary, the emotional toll is lifelong, especially for those working in a small community.
“The worst part about being around here – is that you are going to know most of your patients,” Barlow said. “I’ve hauled family members. I’ve hauled friends. I’ve hauled strangers. Here, more than likely, you’re going to know the person that you’re hauling.”
Regardless of the toll it takes, there are people who answer the call. Whether they are paid or volunteer, they are there to take the call any time of day or night. There’s just not enough of them.
“How can we get volunteers?” Barlow asked. “Volunteers have saved – nationwide – hundreds of thousands of dollars – providing care, providing the service, saving lives, saving property. It’s just dwindling away. I don’t know why people aren’t involved in their communities anymore.”
Those interested in volunteering, can contact their local fire department and rescue squad to join. Bartow-Frank-Durbin Fire and Rescue – 304-456-4999; Marlinton Fire-Rescue – 304-799-4211; Frost Volunteer Fire Department – 304-799-6660; Shavers Fork Fire and Rescue – 304-572-3473; Cass Fire and Rescue – 304-456-4118; and Hillsboro Volunteer Fire Department – 304-653-4636.
Note: Frost and Hillsboro have fire departments, but do not provide ambulance services.
