He started 36 years ago as a volunteer. Now he’s retired. Suburban EMS director steps down.

Back when Jeffrey Young started working for Suburban EMS they couldn't afford to pay him.

The then mostly-volunteer squad based in Palmer Township asked him to handle payroll and taxes for free in 1988.

Thirty-six years later, Young has stepped down as the squad's executive director. His last day was Sept. 18.

He didn't take the job for the accolades, but he appreciates the kind words shared with him at his retirement party.

"It's very gratifying. You can't help but feel good," he said.

Back in the 80s, the squad had only five ambulances. Now it has 22 ambulances, 19 wheelchair vans and a handful of administrative vehicles.

The squad needs that fleet to service Suburban's 14 municipalities in Northampton County and five in Monroe County.

The economics of emergency management have forced squads over the course of Young's career to merge or fold. Suburban EMS eventually absorbed Forks EMS, Medic 9 and a Monroe County squad.

Costs keep rising. The squad doesn't earn back enough in reimbursements to cover what it puts out. Getting bigger means cutting the administrative costs shared over what would have been an assortment of municipal squads.

Young aggressively pursues grants for the EMS squad. He'll continue to apply for grants for Suburban EMS even though he's retired.

One thing Young won't do is hop on an ambulance. He's not a certified EMT. Never has been. He's an accountant.

"I have tremendous respect for what our people do. I hope I earned their respect over my career," Young said.

The squad's new executive director, Barb Reilly, has been with Suburban EMS for 18 years. She served with Young on the squad's leadership committee after Young was made executive director in 2017.

Retirement means Young will have more time to spend with his wife and family. One thing he won't miss: trying to keep the squad staffed. Turnover is constant among the 142 employees. The squad pays for their training, but the training isn't easy and takes time to complete. Working as an EMT is a tough job that was made tougher during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many overwhelmed healthcare workers sought new career paths, Young said.

Squads all over the state are struggling to keep employees. The limited reimbursements the squads get limits their ability to pay EMTs. Federal and state government needs to help close this funding gap, Young said.

"Pay people what they're worth. This is a problem. Sooner or later it has to be addressed," he said.

While state and federal government budgets fail to support emergency squads, Suburban EMS is embraced by the community, Young said. Young serves on the Palmer Township board of supervisors, so he has his pulse on what his neighbors are saying and what they value.

"I know a lot of people in the community. The community respects what Suburban does for them. I hear it a lot," he said.

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