Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary said the personnel situation at the department will soon look a bit different.
Clary told the Starke County Commissioners this week that Clerk Mary Lynn Ritchie will be leaving the department. She has been with Starke County EMS for 25 years and plans to retire in May. Clary commented that she will be greatly missed. Her position will be posted in the near future.
Other than that, Clary said he filled the vacancy for a full-time paramedic and is looking for a full-time EMT.
“I’ve interviewed two people so far for that position,” said Clary. “I hope to have that position filled by May 1. I’ve hired two additional part-time paramedics to our service and one part-time EMT. We continue to be fortunate though, unlike surrounding counties like La Porte County and Pulaski County. They’re down severely with paramedics. We are fully staffed with paramedics. I’m very thankful for that.”
Additionally, Clary said he has been working with Starke County Health Nurse Frank Lynch at the COVID-19 vaccination clinic location.
Clary continued, “I continue to help Frank Lynch and the Health Department on mainly Wednesdays and Thursdays. I can be either a vaccinator, support staff or just medical staff on those days. The clinics are at the Community Center in Knox. I’ve also been doing some home visits to vaccinate those who are not ambulatory. Those individuals have definitely been extremely happy to have us come into the home and have us vaccinate them there.’”
Beyond that, Clary commented that he has been working on the state’s recertification process for the last two weeks and anticipates the lengthy application to be complete and submitted by the end of the month. The certification expires in July.
