Paramedics working in the Harrods Creek Fire Protection Districtwill have to temporarily stop providing certain types of medical care later this month, because an agreement that allows them to practice while serving as firefighters has expired.

For more than 18 months, Harrods Creek has been able to have firefighters, who are also certified as paramedics, provide more advanced medical care when responding to medical calls.

In order to do that, Louisville Metro Government and Harrods Creek Fire had an agreement that provided medical oversight and training through Louisville Metro Emergency Medical Services as part of a pilot program.

But Harrods Creek Fire Chief Kevin Tyler said that agreement has lapsed and he expects the state board that governs EMS will order his paramedics to stop certain medical care within the next couple weeks. Paramedics can provide some drugs to patients and do some other medical treatments that emergency medical technicians cannot.

While he’s not happy some treatments will have to be suspended, Tyler said he is committed to making sure that he has paramedic-trained firefighters on his crews.

In order to do that, Tyler said Harrods Creek will be applying for a certificate of need from the state that would allow him to staff trucks and engines with paramedics.

Tyler said the Kentucky EMS board and metro EMS have been supportive in helping him get that certificate. But the next opportunity to submit and have a certificate application reviewed is April, Tyler said.

In the meantime, Harrods Creek firefighters will still be able to provide basic life support care, just as EMTs do now. “Our paramedics will be there, but they won’t be able to do some things,” he said.

The certificate would only allow Harrods Creek firefighters to practice as paramedics. It would not create a separate ambulance service.

Some other departments, including Worthington and Lyndon, have attempted to get approval to have certificates of need that establish an ambulance service in their departments. Those attempts have not gotten support from the Louisville mayor’s office because they would establish a taxing district and could interfere with the efficiency of metro EMS.