A combination of increased emergency runs and personnel shortages is stretching the emergency medical services of the Glynn County Fire Department.

The number of calls it receives has doubled in less than 10 years and only 16 of 18 paramedic positions are filled, Fire Chief Al Thomas said.

While two vacancies may not appear to be a large number, the number of calls for paramedics in Glynn County has risen from 5,000 in 1998 to 10,000 in 2006.

The trend should continue, Thomas predicted. “The average number of calls increases in volume between 300 and 600 every year.”

To keep up with the increase, Thomas said he must do more than fill two positions.  He must also have the additional emergency team next year he has asked for in the county’s proposed budget.

A team is composed of a paramedic, with specialized training, and an emergency medical technician, who has less training.

Finding trained personnel may be a challenge, though. Thomas said the paramedic shortage is being felt nationwide.

What makes the shortage even more burdensome in Glynn County is the number of unnecessary ambulance requests made on a daily basis. That takes paramedics away from urgent calls, Thomas said.

“A lot of people think an ambulance will get them seen quicker at the emergency room, but that is not true,” he said. “I try to explain to people that they will still be triaged at the hospital and the patients who are the worst will be seen first.”

An ambulance ride is not free, either. Depending upon the level of service, a ride to the hospital can cost up to $500.

Anyone requiring emergency medical treatment need not worry. Even though the fire department’s medical response resources are strained, Thomas said the department is coping.

“We’re meeting our call volumes, but the paramedics are constantly on the move,” he said.