There’s a saying: “if you don’t know who to call, call the fire department.”

Calls to 9-1-1 by Upper Arlington, OH, residents were not always emergencies, and many came from the elderly, who made up a third of the city’s population. These calls placed a burden on the city’s fire and EMS services and personnel, who were not trained to handle “social service” calls, and whose time responding to emergencies could have been delayed by them.

The city created “STAY UA” (Services to Age in Your Upper Arlington) in 2009 to reduce the burden on the city’s emergency services and to connect elderly residents to the help they need. The ultimate goal of “STAY UA” was to make it possible for residents to be able to remain in their homes regardless of their needs or disabilities.

The program featured a trained professional who provided social services and medical care to the elderly and walked them through their options. The service coordinator connected them to hospice care, the “Meals on Wheels” food program, and even pest control services. She also helped with in-home skilled nursing, prescription assistance, and financial counseling.

The program is working. The Upper Arlington Fire Division saw a decrease in EMS runs and the service coordinator provided assistance to more than 120 people during the first year. Elderly residents in Upper Arlington now have a valuable resource to get the help they need in non-emergency situations freeing the city’s emergency medical services to handle emergencies.

The city council originally proposed the “STAY UA” as well as explored and made recommendations on the best approach for establishing a long-term program. The city manager’s office and the fire chief put their efforts into designing and implementing the program.