By Ryan Duey

The Washington City Council reviewed out-of-service hours for local ambulance stations during a recent meeting. Since 2024’s first payroll, the Washington station was down for 12 weekday hours and 14 weekend hours, while Hanover logged 722 weekday and 586 weekend hours out of service.

The city and county are awaiting results from Fitch & Associates’ feasibility study, commissioned in September 2023, initially expected within 3-4 months but now delayed to almost nine months. The study aims to propose options and costs for a countywide ambulance service, addressing volunteer shortages.

With budget decisions coming soon the study’s findings are imminent. Washington County has three services—Washington/Hanover, Linn, and Clifton—some with staffing issues. Fitch & Associates plan to use local data for both short-and long-term solutions, potentially offering a “guidebook” for implementation.