Even if no significant or immediate public services changes result, an apparently upcoming state-supported “capacity study” focusing in large part on Blair County emergency services’ manpower shortages could provide guidance beneficial for the long term.

Blair officials should acknowledge that possibility and keep the study close at hand as they work to resolve issues in the years, as well as just the months, ahead.

It is important to acknowledge now that no one should be mislead into categorizing the study as having been a worthless exercise if planning or decisions based on the study’s findings are not immediate.

That would be a foolhardy stance, since brainstorming, careful evaluation and productive discussions are the keys to successful results.

According to Mirror reporter William Kibler’s article in the July 3 edition, the capacity study will be geared toward looking at firefighting, police and ambulance services and “perhaps hospital emergency departments and even emergency dispatch services.”

Those study parameters were reviewed by Dave McFarland, county planning director, at a July meeting of the county’s Hazard Mitigation Committee.

Based on McFarland’s comments, Kibler’s report indicated that the state Department of Community and Economic Development would provide an expert consultant to conduct the study at no cost.

McFarland told the Hazard Mitigation Committee that changes recommended as a result of the study would be “highly specific,” which would be in the county’s best interests, whether or not the county was prepared or open to pursuing any, most or several of the recommended changes over the short term.

McFarland was correct that, especially regarding volunteer fire services changes, those actions might have to wait until what he described as the “old guard” is set to depart — preparing to hand off leadership of the various departments to a new generation of equally dedicated individuals with their own ideas and visions for the future.

An “outside” expert consultant will not be hindered by any local loyalties or “set-in-stone” practices that, in the realities of the “big picture,” might not be working in Blair public services — and the county’s and its municipalities’ — best interests.

It is human nature that some recommended changes will be resisted by dedicated individuals who have devoted their lives to the services for which they are involved.

However, McFarland provided two descriptive comments that leaders should accept with open-mindedness as they ponder and discuss the future.

The planning director said the study process and its aftermath would be like having “big brother holding your hand” or having “someone to shine a light on the rocks as you cross the creek.”

It must be emphasized that the upcoming study will be only one part of the county’s overall Hazard Mitigation Plan that the state requires be updated every five years. The update process is a two-year endeavor, which provides plenty of time to review.

Once the update process is completed, the overall plan will need approval by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and then by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and finally by Blair County’s municipalities.

In its totality, the planning process “installs” a solid foundation involving what the county will need in the years ahead. It is encouraging that a positive attitude is guiding the planning mission.