By John Tunison
mlive.com
OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — An Ottawa County sheriff’s plan to phase out its paramedic units has Jenison area leaders looking at options.
Sheriff’s supervisors about three years ago announced the department’s E-unit program would be terminated because it was no longer sustainable.
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The E-units offer medically trained deputies that typically are the first to reach a medical call, followed by ambulance personnel.
“We couldn’t find paramedics that were deputies or deputies that were paramedics,” Ottawa County Sheriff Eric DeBoer said.
The three primary areas served by the E-units were the townships of Holland, Park and Georgetown. Holland and Park townships last year developed alternative services and sheriff’s E-units were discontinued there last fall.
In Georgetown Township, there are seven deputies who also are paramedics. The township contracts with the county to provide the E-unit service as well as deputies specifically assigned to the township.
DeBoer said one particular issue with the E-unit program is that deputy paramedics aren’t likely to be promoted because of the difficulty in finding replacements.
Georgetown Township leaders are looking at three options for continuing a paramedic-level emergency response.
Township Superintendent Justin Stadt said he hopes to have an alternative service running by late spring of 2026.
Three options are on the table:
- Life EMS provides one 24-hour “medical first response unit (MFRU)” for $390,000.
- Life EMS provides two MFRUs, one 24-hours per day and a second unit from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during peak hours, for $520,000 the first year and increasing $20,000 each year thereafter.
- Georgetown Township Fire Department provides medical first responders at various levels of service, ranging from $604,000 to $2.7 million.
In the fire department’s proposal, supervisors there suggest the township consider a $1.7 million option to provide two paramedic staff at each of the township’s three fire stations on a 24-hour basis.
Firefighters would apply for a federal grant to cover up to 75% of the cost during the first two years.
Stadt said that maintaining some type of paramedic service is important.
Now, the E-unit responds to an average of eight medical calls each day.
“It should be a balance of service and what our needs are,” he said. “Every community is different.”
Township leaders will look to make decision on the various options in September and possibly have a new service in place by late spring of 2026.
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