Quincy Reporter

Adams County Public Health & Safety Committee met Jan. 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

Committee members present were Barbara Fletcher, Steven DeMoss, Travis Cooley, David McCleary, Taylor Rakers and Megan Howell. Also present was Coroner Scott Graham, Sheriff Rich Wagner and John Simon and Jessica Frese from the Adams County Ambulance and Emergency Management.

All bills were reviewed and appeared to be in order.

A motion to approve the minutes of the December 14, 2021 meeting was made by Steven DeMoss and seconded by David McCleary.

Sheriff’s Report: Sheriff Wagner

Jail:

The jail population on this date is 126.

There are 12 inmates ready for transport to the Illinois Department of Corrections. The Sheriff’s Office has exhausted its current merit commission list of Corrections Officer Candidates and will hold a new test on January 19, at 6:15 PM.

The jail had an inmate that required medical attention in Peoria for 9 days. This created an overtime expenditure of approximately $22,000. The inmate required a 24- hour a day, two deputy detail.

The department has applied for reimbursement for housing DOC inmates. The amount requested is approximately $400,000. It should be received in April or May.

Sheriff’s Department:

Deputies were able to attend a Critical Incident Debriefing today at Blessing Hospital to assist them in dealing with the emotionally difficult situations they have had to deal with lately.

Coroner’s Report: Coroner Graham

Coroner Graham reported that during the month of December 2021 there were:

121 reported deaths

8 autopsies

No abandoned cremations

51 cremation permits issued

1 suicide

Ambulance/Emergency Management: Chief Simon

Chief Simon reported that in 2021, there were 9,280 ambulance calls. This is a significant increase from the 8,000 calls they experienced in 2020 and the 7,000 in 2019.

Calls have increased in number from approximately 22 per day to 32 to 34 per day.

Calls where no ambulances are available in the County have increased in the last year to a high of 24 per month.

Ambulance staffing is holding, they are down 1 EMT.

The EMT Class has 16 or 17 remaining. They will graduate in March.

They hope to begin a Paramedic program in August. Paramedics must first be EMTs.

They are working on maintaining their pipeline of personnel.

Old Business

None

New Business

None

Appointments

None.

Business being concluded, a motion to adjourn was made by Steve DeMoss and seconded by Dave McCleary.

https://www.co.adams.il.us/home/showpublisheddocument/6488/637806036690000000