Council approves EMT certification class as members and residents raise ambulance-service funding questions

The International Falls City Council voted July 21 to allow the International Falls Ambulance Service to run an emergency medical technician (EMT) certification class from October 2025 through March 2026 while residents and councilors raised questions about instructor pay, trainee reimbursement and the future of local ambulance service. Why it matters: The city is recruiting EMTs to sustain emergency medical services; course continuity and funding affect both training participants and the council’s broader decisions about local ambulance operations. What the council did: The council approved the class 5–0. Councilor Bullard moved to authorize the training; Councilor Wagner seconded. The motion carried without amendment. Discussion and concerns: Councilors said the class could proceed even if the city’s ambulance-service arrangement changes in January. Council discussion noted the instructor is a paramedic who will teach outside of his normal duties and that state legislation may provide some reimbursement for EMT training. Resident Lisa Mortensen asked how trainees who pay tuition will be protected if the instructor or program cannot finish the course, saying, "If they don't get to finish this class, who's gonna reimburse them?" Administrator and committee members said they would consult the fire chief and the school administering the course to determine contingencies and whether another instructor could finish if the current instructor leaves. Follow-up directions: Councilors directed staff to confirm details—contracting and instructor availability—before finalizing the course logistics and to seek protections for trainees where possible. Mayor Dell and councilors said the committee and staff would review instructor commitments and any available state reimbursement before the course begins. Ending: Council members described the training as a public-safety priority while acknowledging uncertainties around instructor availability and reimbursements that staff will try to resolve before classes start.