Idaho does not consider ambulance or paramedic services as an essential government function, but one group is aiming to change that through legislation.
A 2021 Office of Performance Evaluations oversight report found Idaho's Emergency Medical Service agencies rely heavily on volunteers, are understaffed, and that this can affect how fast ambulances respond to calls.
An EMS sustainability task force, made up of paramedics, firefighters, county commissioners and more, has been meeting for the past year to come up with a solution, and plans on introducing legislation next session.
The first step would be to label EMS "essential" in Idaho law, Wayne Denny, EMS bureau chief under the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, told the state's EMS advisory commission last week. After that, it's more complicated.
"So it's essential -- what does that mean?" Denny asked. "Does that mean that you can count on it being available throughout the state?"
Denny said, as of now, the task force is suggesting that counties would be responsible for providing or identifying a provider of EMS locally, but that the state would also provide them with some funding through grant programs.
State funding would likely focus on less populated areas "to help offset the cost to provide EMS outside of those population centers," Denny said.
The legislation could also establish a council to oversee EMS and state funding for it. Denny said the task force is finalizing a draft of the legislation.
Find reporter Rachel Cohen on Twitter @racheld_cohen
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