By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Livingston County EMS is seeking a grant that will bring help to not only the department, but also provide a path to becoming a paramedic for the public.

EMS Director Dave Feldpausch wrote in a memo to the Livingston County Board of Commissioners that the department has been in crisis with recruitment and retention for some time, and that the pandemic has only heightened it further. He was requesting a resolution authorizing the application for a State of Michigan First Responder grant from the Board of Commissioners, Monday night.

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office previously received approval to apply for the same grant.

If awarded EMS could receive up to $100,000 in grant monies to be used for either recruiting or training. Feldpausch wrote that they would like to focus on both. He is proposing to offer free, grant funded CPR and First Aid courses to the public over a 2-3 month period. Following that, they would offer an also free and grant funded EMT course over the summer and then continue into a paramedic course. Feldpausch said this proposal could bring a resident from no training to a paramedic course in a matter of 6 months. Grant money would also be used to offer an instruction coordinator course that will provide the area with more certified instructors to continue offering EMS education to the area.