1 in 3 Durham County ambulances are out of commission. Here’s why.
Staff vacancies and supply-chain challenges have taken about a third of Durham County’s ambulances off the road.
First responders around the nation face staffing shortages, and Durham County Emergency Medical Services is no exception.
When someone suffers a serious incident like a fall, injury or drug overdose, EMS staff are the ones who respond in ambulances or quick response vehicles.
Typically, the Durham County EMS operates 18 ambulances during the day and 12 at night, staffed with paramedics and emergency medical technicians.
Currently, there are only 12 ambulances available during the day, according to chief paramedic Mark Lockhart.
Paramedics also have three quick response vehicles they can use, said Lockhart, who was not available for an interview for this story. These vehicles are SUVs equipped with advanced life support equipment and supplies.
In a statement, EMS blamed its ambulance shortage on losing two mechanics, starting with one of the two it had in March 2022.
“And just a week ago, the lone remaining mechanic resigned for a private sector position, despite attempts to retain his services,” the statement added.
As a result, mechanics at local auto dealerships are servicing the county’s ambulances.
“The challenge in keeping mechanics employed is not limited to county government,” the statement continued. “Area dealerships and independent shops also report having significant issues with both recruiting and retaining qualified mechanics.”
Complicating the problem are supply-chain inefficiencies that are making it harder to get parts from fleet shops and dealerships.
The typical 140 to 180 days required for vehicle manufacturers to assemble an ambulance has grown to 720 days, or nearly two years, according to EMS.
Staffing at Durham’s 911 call center is also affecting service.
The latest data for the county shows half of all positions for call-takers, dispatchers and shift supervisors are vacant.
Durham paramedics speak out
Multiple paramedics spoke with ABC11, The N&O’s news partner, about older vehicles’ service needs.
One EMS worker told a dispatcher last week that an ambulance’s transmission went out while responding to a call, according to scanner traffic reported by ABC11.
“We’re one car wreck, one shooting away from not having anybody to respond to be able to transport truly sick or injured people to the hospital,” a paramedic told ABC11 on the condition of anonymity to protect their job.
In addition to the mechanics Lockhart, the chief paramedic, told The N&O previously that EMS has been short on paramedics and emergency medical technicians since before 2020, and that the COVID-19 pandemic worsened it.
EMS agencies in Wake and Orange counties have also faced staffing issues.
As a result, residents with minor medical problems may wait longer, Orange County EMS director Kirby Saunders previously told The N&O.
EMS also staff have to stay out in the field longer on back-to-back calls instead of routinely heading back to their stations to restock their supplies, he said.
EMS officials have previously said hiring and retention challenges stem from insufficient pay in jobs that can be stressful and perilous.
A minimum of 2 1.2 years of schooling is required to become a paramedic, Saunders told The N&O previously. EMTs must spend over a year in school to transition into being a paramedic through college-level courses.
These professions often compete with nursing, which requires a similar amount of time in school for a job that can offer higher pay.
This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 11:40 AM.
