North Park Fire Department faces critical shortage of paramedics and EMTs

LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) — The North Park Fire Department is facing a critical shortage of resources as ambulance calls have surged by 11.25% this year, reaching 2,500 calls.

The department, which started its ambulance service six years ago, is struggling to keep up with the increasing demand due to staffing shortages. Currently, only one ambulance is operational because of a lack of paramedics and EMTs.

“Right now, we just have one paramedic, full time staffed on the ambulance,” said Deputy Chief Brian Kunce. “And everybody else is assigned to the engine. And then on the weekends and nights, it’s all volunteer.”

Kunce emphasized the need for community support to pass a tax referendum that would increase revenue and allow the department to hire additional paramedics and EMTs. “Nobody wants to pay more in the taxes,” Kunce said, urging residents to consider the value of the service provided by first responders.

Efforts to pass similar referendums in the past have failed, leaving the department in a precarious position. Kunce is actively working to raise awareness about the issue and is encouraging community members to engage with the department to understand the situation better.

The North Park Fire Department hopes to secure the necessary funding through the upcoming referendum to ensure adequate emergency services for the community. “We want people to come down here and talk to us and get more information,” Kunce said, highlighting the importance of informed decision-making by the public.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.