Cranberry Township EMS adds 3rd ambulance to meet increased demand
Residents in southwestern Butler County and beyond should expect more comprehensive emergency coverage as one local EMS organization expands its fleet.
To keep pace with a rising call volume, Cranberry Township EMS will put a third ambulance into service beginning Monday, Sept. 15, with the unit strategically stationed in the township’s southwest corner to improve response times, particularly for calls into a portion of Beaver County.
“We monitor a couple different data points on a monthly basis, and everything was pointing to adding this truck,” Cranberry Township EMS executive director Matt Nickl said.
He said the third unit will operate during peak hours, which for now will include Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“That’s based off of the increased call volume during that time frame,” Nickl said.
The move comes as the township’s population continues to grow, creating more demand for emergency medical services.
Officials found that emergency calls have increased in the aftermath of COVID-19 when compared to pre-pandemic levels, which prompted them to take action.
“We’ve been discussing this for about six months and just really coming up with a good strategic plan to make sure we rolled this out correctly,” Nickl said.
The new unit has forced the agency to expand its staffing levels. Cranberry’s EMS has strengthened its ranks with the addition of a full-time EMT, a full-time paramedic and several other part-time staff members.
Along with Cranberry Township EMS and Harmony EMS, Cranberry and several other neighboring municipalities are in the final phases of a comprehensive EMS study to uncover solutions for funding and staffing.
Although the third ambulance is part of the township’s long-term planning, Nickl said the decision was made independently of the ongoing study, which is expected to conclude by year’s end.
“Since we saw the growth of the community and the growth of our call volume, I didn’t think it was right to wait for that study to be over to add this truck,” he said.
Instead of focusing solely on response times, the new unit should allow crews to better cover the township and surrounding communities, cutting down on the number of missed calls and improving the chances of positive outcomes in emergencies.
“This was more of a proactive approach just to make sure that we’re continuing to grow with the needs of the community because of its growth,” Nickl said.
