Ind. city to establish paramedicine program with part of $1M grant

By Leila Merrill

RICHMOND, Ind. — The city plans to establish a paramedicine program using funds approved by the Richmond Common Council last week, the Richmond Palladium-Item reported .

Part of a $1,024,000 Indiana State Department of Health grant will pay for a paramedic and a social worker who will be added to the Richmond Fire Department.

Fire Chief Jerry Purcell made the grant request and said that a paramedicine program could improve health outcomes.

Purcell said he did a ride-along with a community paramedic in Ohio.

“It gives us a great opportunity to address some very deep-rooted problems in our community, and until we address those, I don’t think we can be all that we have the possibility to be as a community,” Purcell said.