An upcoming golf tournament will raise money for EMT training in Pike County.
Emergency medical technician (EMT) training costs $650 in Pike County and most of its fire departments and ambulance companies are volunteer-run, according to county officials. That puts pressure on hopeful EMTs to fund their own education without guaranteed payment.
Jason Oligher saw that small companies were short-staffed as few people had the means to take that financial burden.
“We realized that these folks were paying for their training in order to become EMTs or their fire departments were paying for their training in order to become EMTs. And, I figured there had to be a better way,” said Oligher.
He reached out to the Greater Pike Community Foundation (GPCF) and County Commissioner Matt Osterberg to start the Pike County Emergency Services Initiative Fund in 2020. Oligher gave $2,500 and GPCF donated $3,100 to get the fund going, according to Osterberg.
The fund took off when Bill Lovejoy got involved, said Oligher.
“A gentleman named Bill Lovejoy had an incident up in Shohola, a medical incident. He needed an ambulance and after his experience, he said, ‘I want to donate’. He made a significant donation, I think it was $25,000,” said Oligher.
Osterberg said the program has covered 70 certifications and has $90,000 in its coffers.
“This responsibility has gotten so large when it comes into paying people that many smaller municipalities can’t do it alone. And our feeling in the county is that while it’s not our full-fledged responsibility, we have to be a partner with them. We have to help them,” said Osterberg.
Pike doesn’t have a hospital or urgent care centers. The nearest hospitals are Wayne Memorial or in New Jersey. Commissioner Ronald Schmalzle teased county plans for a new hospital and two urgent care centers in February. That announcement has not come out yet.
Oligher wants the fund to bolster the county’s existing medical services. He and Osterberg have plans to expand funding to advanced emergency medical technician (AEMT) and paramedic training. Some of that funding will cover the cost of firefighting gear.
“What we hopefully have done and will continue to do is raise awareness of the fact – I don’t think it’s necessarily on everybody’s radar – that this is a real cost that’s born by the people who are providing these services,” said Oligher.
The golf tournament is on May 20 at the Lynx Golf Club in Port Jervis, New York. All proceeds will go to the Pike County Emergency Services Initiative Fund. Registration is available until spots run out.
For more information or to donate to the emergency services fund, visit Greater Pike Community Foundation (GPCF)’s website.
