The Woodstock Fire Department hopes better living quarters will improve conditions, allowing for well-rested paramedics and the ability to attract new recruits.
While the firefighters are volunteers, the paramedics in Woodstock are paid professionals and mostly come from other towns, so they need living quarters for the diverse shifts they’re called upon to serve. Currently in the town, that space is less than ideal.
“They have a room with no windows,” said Jeff DeLisio, chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners. “It wasn’t built to house anybody.”
When the Rescue Squad was established in 1973, Woodstock did not have career paramedics, so the building wasn’t designed to house them. The bulk of the rescue squad is volunteer with four full-time paid paramedics who work 12-hour shifts.
Typically, the paramedic responds to a call first, while the volunteers leave their homes, get in the ambulance and arrive at the scene. If the situation is serious, the paramedic rides to the hospital to continue care while on the way to the hospital. For something not life threatening, the paramedic returns to the station to remain on call once the patient is stable and the volunteers proceed to the hospital.
As the population changes and second homeowners shift to full-time residency, their services are needed more than ever. Not only are they in a windowless room, there is no privacy and no secure entrance. Walking to and from the bathroom and shower requires passing through public areas.
“There’s a requirement for security and privacy. Everybody agrees on that. Now we need to come up with the right design,” DeLisio said.
Cost is unknown at this point and it is not up to the department. The Rescue Squad building and the structures housing companies in Zena, Wittenberg and Lake Hill are owned by non-profit entities and leased to the fire district.
The district has asked Company 5, which encompasses the Rescue Squad, to improve the space.
“By April 1 we would like to get it completed,” DeLisio said. “In turn, we would increase the rent we pay Company 5.”
DeLisio is also hopeful top-notch living quarters will keep Woodstock attractive in lieu of increased pay, which other companies are using to entice paramedics. “Wages for career EMS are going up exponentially,” DeLisio said. “Making living quarters top-notch and providing quality training will help slow the need to increase wages,” Delisio said, noting a countywide EMS personnel shortage.
County officials are looking into keeping paid paramedics in the sheriff substations as a way to address it, he said.
“As that is rolling out, we want to make sure Woodstock is a premiere EMS facility and the county looks at retaining us as part of their strategy,” DeLisio said.
DeLisio re-elected, new commissioner wins seat
In the annual Fire Company election December 13, DeLisio was re-elected to a five-year term and Keith Hernandez won election to a one-year term to fill the seat vacated by Sharon Wilber, besting firefighter Angela Spinelli by just two votes.
Join the family! 
