PORT ANGELES – Starting January 1 the Port Angeles Fire Department will begin a pilot program called the Community Para-Medicine Program. It’s designed to prevent many of the 911 calls and emergency room visits by checking in on vulnerable people with on-going medical issues before emergencies happen.

Fire Chief Ken Dubuc:

Firefighter paramedics will work in an expanded roll with other community service organizations such as OMC, North Olympic Health Network, Peninsula Behavioral Health and the Jamestown Tribe. They will exchange and share information about people who use their services on a frequent basis and pro-actively try to provide help with medications, living situations, etc.

The one-year trial will work hand-in-hand with a Social Worker Outreach Program started this year by the Port Angeles Police Department. The Police program actually has officers going out and finding folks, whether in homeless camps or elsewhere, that have substance or mental health problems, and connecting them with services. Police Chief Brian Smith says the two ideas dovetail nicely.

Chief Dubuc says his program involves stepping a bit into the unknown as to whether it will actually prevent emergencies and save money and resources, but he and Chief Smith both agree that giving these new ideas a little time is worth the effort.