EMS status is reaching a crisis level in the county
Mark this down, it’s important for as many people as possible to attend a session by the Chippewa County EMS Association. They will hold an informational meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to discuss the status of EMS throughout Chippewa County.
The purpose of this meeting, which begins at 6 p.m., at the Cadott High School auditorium, is informational only and no decisions will be made. It will be an opportunity to share feedback on a local survey of EMS agency service availability, listen to other concerns and hear about the statewide approaches to this issue.
Staffing for local ambulance services is approaching a crisis level in many communities across the nation, and in Wisconsin.
Working in collaboration with the county administrator’s office, Emergency Management, the president of the EMS Committee and UW-Extension Researcher Garret Zastoupil, a survey was distributed in November, to all EMS services in the county, to help better understand the current challenges and long-term sustainability of the EMS system. The results of the survey will be discussed at this meeting.
There are a variety of options to address the current EMS challenges. James Small, the Wisconsin Rural EMS Outreach manager from the Office of Rural Health, will present information on approaches used by other communities and counties, to help address the challenges. Small’s 2023 report, “The Reliability of Wisconsin’s 911 Ambulance Response,” highlights several key issues: EMS reliability is a statewide issue; EMS agencies are struggling to consistently staff services; and EMS agencies lack the financial resources to sustain their organizations.
Because EMS challenges affect citizens across the county, it is critical that the decision makers, municipal leaders and county board supervisors, are aware of the challenges that exist and understand that their role is an important part of the solution.
It is important for everyone to realize that while Chippewa County Emergency Management and the UW-Extension has offered to help assist with the coordination of these meetings, and help facilitate the discussion, they are not taking responsibility for EMS and EMS decisions.
Residents are encouraged to attend and participate in this crucial community discussion, along with elected leaders, EMS providers and media representatives.
