MUNISING, Michigan (WLUC) – A community in Upper Michigan is currently looking for new, qualified emergency medical technicians.

As of 2024, the Alger County Emergency Medical Services team will have a total of only seven full-time employees.

Sheriff Todd Brock says the need for emergency responders has grown over the years. He says the county’s emergency response team averages over 1,000 emergency calls per year.

“In a small community like ours, that’s a lot of trips, our ambulance is constantly in use,” said Brock. “About 80% of our trips are to Marquette General, and we cover a lot of miles. So the need is there, but we see that many of our employees are getting too old,”

Brock says many of the current EMS workers are burned out or nearing retirement age. His biggest fear is that there will be too many emergencies and not enough staff.

“We have a 24/7 emergency medical service with one crew. When that first crew goes out on a rescue, the second crew is always the biggest concern anywhere in the county,” said Brock. “Often we have two calls at the same time, sometimes three, sometimes four calls, so those are always our biggest concerns.”

County EMS Coordinator Tina Waldron says there is now a six-month course starting in October that will teach you all the skills you need to get certified.

“At the UP Health Systems Marquette Paramedic School, you learn the basics of first aid,” Waldron said. “Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, bleeding, trauma patients, their care and transport.”

Waldron says the course will be a hybrid of online and in-person. Six adults have already signed up for the course, and more may join.

Brock says the sheriff’s office helps participants pay for the course after they complete the online application and pass the drug test.

The link to apply to the Marquette School of Emergency Medical Technology can be found here.

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