County looks at ways to address first responder communication
The local first responder group is reporting strong growth in its first full year with 16 members, up from two at the beginning of the year.
Kris Nelson reported to members of the county’s law enforcement and emergency services committee last week that four additional people are undergoing training and two more are waiting to start their training. Combined this gives a total of 22 people.
That growth hasn’t been without some growing pains and expense. A major expense has been addressed through fundraising efforts by the privately-run group to raise $177,300 to purchase radios for responders to carry with them. Nelson said they received funds from several different groups including the Taylor County Tavern League, a fundraiser held at Solace Ink, private donations and $63,000 from the Fulcrum Foundation.
Nelson said they wanted to let the county committee know about the successful fundraising. “We are self sustaining without any taxpayer money involved,” Nelson said.
It will take several weeks before the radios arrive, and until they are put in service, the responder group will continue to use the iamresponding application on their phones. This is a supplemental program that works with the dispatch center to allow first responders to respond to calls.
Nelson said a major hurdle has been not getting full information from dispatchers. He said they have been given addresses, but not any information about what is going on. He said there was one recent page where the first responder went and when they got there found it was an active hostile scene.
Nelson said this puts the first responders in harms way and let the committee know that, for their own safety, responders would not respond to calls where there was no dispatch information.
When the system works, first responders, who are spread around the county, can quickly respond ahead of ambulance crews arriving. This allows them to begin to stabilize the individual and to communicate with the EMS about the condition of the patient when ambulance crews arrive.
In an ideal world, first responders serve as an entry point for those interested in potentially becoming ambulance personnel, emergency medical technicians and on up to paramedics.
Sheriff Larry Woebbeking asked Nelson to share specific dates and incidents with him where there was not enough information provided, noting that will allow him to talk with the specific dispatchers on duty at that time. He noted that it was not super unusual for this to be a problem in places where the iamresponding app is used in conjunction with the dispatch, since it was intended to be a supplement to the existing dispatch system and the responder group is using it as their primary tool.
Woebbeking said he would work to improve communication. It was noted that having the radios will greatly improve things.
In other business, committee members:
• Gave their blessing to proceeding with appointing a new chief deputy to take over for Corey Dassow when Dassow becomes sheriff in January. Dassow was picked by Gov. Tony Evers to replace Woebbeking who will work with Dassow for training over the coming weeks. “Hopefully it will be seamless to the staff and community,” he said.
• Received a presentation of a consultant to do a radio survey for law enforcement in the county. There are concerns regarding radio communication and the potential ways to improve it by having the county maintain its own system or join with the statewide system. The proposed study would be $34,750 plus expenses, which would typically be mileage. The study could be completed in time for the county to have information to include in the 2026 budget. No actions were taken and it will be brought back for additional discussion at the November meeting.
• Approved a new two-year contract for the Medical Examiner. The agreement is the same as in the past with no pay increase. The examiner is paid a $385 twice a month and in addition is paid $50 for cremation investigations and $100 for death investigations.
