CENTER TWP — With call volume on the rise and first responders under more strain, township supervisors are considering hiring a full-time firefighter and paramedic employee.

The township’s board of supervisors held a special meeting Wednesday evening, July 29, to discuss the creation of a firefighter and paramedic position. The position would provide additional weekday daylight staffing for Unionville Volunteer Fire Company.

Unionville Assistant Fire Chief Nathan Wulff gave a presentation touching on the roles of the prospective position and what it would mean for the township.

“It’s not simply a firefighter, and it’s not simply a paramedic. The value comes from combining the two operational certificates into one employee,” he said.

He said the employee would not only have firefighter and paramedic responsibilities, but also spend downtime writing reports, inspecting equipment and more.

“While volunteers are already doing this, having a full-time employee improves consistency and lightens the volunteer workload,” Wulff said.

According to Wulff’s presentation, annual call volume rose from 598 incidents in 2023 to 685 in 2025 — a 14.5% increase. Out of the 2025 incidents, 400 involved rescue or emergency medical services and 207 occurred during weekday business hours.

Wulff said weekday staffing is about 19% lower than other periods of the week, and having someone at the station could cut down response times.

Ellwood City Fire Department Chief Rick Myers attended the meeting to explain what he has seen regarding his department’s similar staffer. He said four years ago, the department ran basic life support quick response service and even certified paramedics were unable to perform advanced life support skills.

He recalled one call where he, two paramedics, and a registered nurse responded to a cardiac arrest and were unable to perform Advanced Life Support services.

“We waited 32 minutes for an ambulance. In that 32 minutes, we revived (the patient) three times. Because we were only BLS (Basic Life Support), we were not allowed to perform the ALS skills … That woman died after the third time we got her back as the ambulance pulled into the driveway,” Myers said.

He said the national average of being resuscitated and surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is around 10%, but since hiring a paramedic, that number rose to 90% in that coverage area.

“We have saved 21 people in three and a half years because that paramedic is in the room,” Myers said.

While supervisors and residents at the meeting were in agreement that a full-time position was sorely needed, more questions were raised on how to specifically pay for it.

At the March 2026 meeting, township supervisors voted to draft a resolution that would add a 0.5-mill EMS tax to the township. The resolution is planned to be considered for adoption at the end of the year and placed on the 2027 tax rolls.

Wulff said during his presentation Wednesday the potential tax would raise roughly $42,000 and would cost residents an average of $5.34 a year.

Another revenue stream being considered is grants. At their June meeting, supervisors discussed how a portion of associated costs may be covered through the state Department of Community and Economic Development’s Municipal Assistance Program.

“We could get 75% of their salary in the first year, 50% in the second year and 25% the next year. This would take a burden off the taxpayer,” Supervisor Don Pringle said at the June meeting.

While Pringle remained in agreement Wednesday that the position was needed, he questioned whether the best idea is to immediately raise taxes on the residents. He emphasized hard economic times and warned the EMS tax would be “double taxation.”

He added the EMS tax revenue would not be available until the end of 2027. With the grant, that would leave an estimated $20,000 for the township to pay out of pocket. He emphasized other streams, such as $80,000 in annual bank interest, a one-time $200,000 payment for a cell tower and hundreds of thousands in general fund surplus.

“I didn’t get elected to turn around and increase taxes. If I can find a way — I think we found a minor way right here to cover the first year to try it out. We don’t even know if this program’s going to work,” Pringle said.

He and Supervisor Ed Latuska agreed that tax increases are something the board has always worked to minimize and should do so in the future.

“I and the supervisors are very supportive of our fire company and the EMS/EMT. I have proven tonight that a tax is NOT necessary for our residents to pay as we have funding to support this position,” Pringle wrote in an email to the Butler Eagle after the meeting.

While no final decision on the position or tax was made Wednesday, the board agreed to meet with members of Unionville Fire to hash out the remaining details, such as salary, and submit the Municipal Assistance Program application before the Sept. 1 deadline.