Cathlamet ambulance loses last paramedic

Matt Beaulaurier has resigned from the Cathlamet Fire Department's First Aid Division, leaving local ambulance service without a paramedic.

Beaulaurier told The Eagle on Tuesday that he is resigning for personal reasons.

He works full-time as a firefighter/paramedic for Pacific County District 4 First Aid and has volunteered with the Cathlamet ambulance, which serves all eastern Wahkiakum.

"It was getting hard to do both," he said. "I want to spend more time at home.

"I hope I can come back in the future."

First Aid Division officers say the loss shouldn't have a significant impact on the patients the Cathlamet ambulance crews serve.

"Fortunately, we have a great core group of volunteers," said Division Captain Beau Renfro.

About half the crew has the state Basic Life Support Emergency Medical Technician certification, and the other half have IV Technician training, the next step up.

"IV techs are able to perform additional life saving skills," Renfro said.

"My goal is that the community and our patients should not notice a drastic change in the care we give as a whole. For the patient who needs advanced life support, we have arrangements with American Medical Response, Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue and Life Flight Northwest to assist our crews with the additional needs for these patients."

Renfro said it's hard to find paramedic volunteers. The training is basically a "two to three year degree and then an internship," he said.

"It's hard to find a volunteer that is willing to take three years off work to get the training to be a paramedic for an unpaid department," he said.