MSB EMS does more with less

PALMER — With additional hiring capability for the Mat-Su Borough Department of Emergency Services, Emergency Medical Services are increasing their capabilities in the Mat-Su Borough. MSB EMS Chief Tracey Loscar updated the Mat-Su Borough Assembly on Tuesday on how efficient her department has become without an increased budget.

“We’re only five to six months in to a marked increase of regular staffing and i can tell you already that it has helped,” Loscar said. “Once we have the hiring in process the next thing we wanted to do is stand up to the point of being fiscally responsible.”

Loscar scoured every spreadsheet, connex container, shelf and station to find inefficiencies and tighten the EMS budget as much as possible with the addition of 17 EMT 2s, eight paramedics and conversion of the overtime and on call reserve into wages and benefits. Last year, MSB EMS saw a 71 percent decrease in the time it takes to get en route to a 911 call. EMS personnel are able to respond to a call in under three minutes because instead of being called in from home, first responders are in house able to depart to the call. EMS also decreased the time for arrival by 26 percent, including a 21 percent decrease in rural areas. MSB EMS have responded to nearly 8,000 calls this year to date and expect to finish the year near 9,500. Loscar estimates that in 2020, the 10,000 call plateau will be broken. With an average of 26 calls per day, the call volume has increased 136 percent between 2010 and 2019.

“We didn’t ask for any additional funds to employ 26 additional folks,” MSB DES Director Ken Barkley said.

Loscar began her search for ways to make her department as frugal as possible with the additional staff. Loscar oversaw consolidation of nine individual supply points down to three major supply stations. Loscar said that just in the last quarter of last year, her department was able to save $35,000. EMS went from multiple suppliers of oxygen and gas down to one, stopped printing protocol books, undertook a new learning management system and updated the staffing roster. The borough is able to save nearly $3,000 per employee by eliminating a non standardized hiring academy and centralizing their training facility. Loscar also noted the community outreach performed, training 2,000 people in CPR and hands only stop the bleed at the Alaska State Fair. MSB EMS currently operates four ambulances 24 hours a day, often running as many as five or six. What was unforeseeable in this year’s budget was the amount of overtime hours due to wildland fires.

“We’ve been able to provide a much stronger service to the community,” Loscar said.