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Chippewa County administrator warns EMS volunteer model may be unsustainable after hospital exit
Summary
County Administrator Randy Schultz told the board that volunteer-based municipal EMS models face sustainability challenges following the HSHS exit; the county is collecting data via a UW Extension survey and exploring hybrid funding models and grants to maintain local coverage.
County Administrator Randy Schultz updated supervisors on the status of emergency medical services in Chippewa County following the departure of HSHS from local service arrangements.
Schultz said the county is holding conversations with EMS organizations and stakeholders, emphasizing two broad governance options: countywide EMS (which staff said would be exempt from levy limits) or municipally run services. "Statutorily, it's a municipality responsibility to provide EMS service, it's not the county's responsibility," Schultz said, and he warned that volunteer-staffed municipal models are struggling as call-out times lengthen and providers travel farther for transfers.
The county is working with UW Extension to survey EMS providers and assemble options, and Schultz described examples from other counties that offer grant programs or hybrid supports to sustain systems. He emphasized that the county is "here to listen" and not seeking to unilaterally take over local services; instead staff will explore models that could provide shared funding or technical support.
Board members asked about earmarked funds, potential morgue access if a local hospital reopens, and how reallocated monies could assist EMS operations. Schultz said $600,000 had been identified as an earmarked amount that could be reallocated under certain conditions and that cooperative efforts to bring hospital services back would help local EMS capacity.
Next steps: County staff will continue the UW Extension survey outreach, convene EMS stakeholders, and report back to the board with potential hybrid funding or grant options.
