Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Emergency Medical Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
EMS director reports retirements, hiring and approval of groundwork for whole-blood program
Summary
John Blythe, Ada County EMS director, reported multiple retirements, said deputy chief hiring is near completion and that the technical advisory group approved elements needed to deploy a whole-blood program; the board acknowledged the update and approved related claims and minutes.
John Blythe, director of Ada County Emergency Medical Services, told commissioners on Dec. 9 that the division had multiple retirements, including Sean Raines, and two additional retirees with a combined service of more than 50 years. He said the deputy chief operations hiring process is ongoing and expected to conclude at the end of next week.
Blythe said the technical advisory group recently approved necessary pieces and parts to allow the county to deploy a whole-blood program, which he described as having become a "standard of care." He told the board that the county now has the base for implementing that program.
The board approved the EMS claims journal for Dec. 5, 2025, and approved EMS minutes as listed on the EMS agenda. The board adjourned the EMS session after the updates.
Why it matters: a whole-blood program represents an operational and clinical change for EMS responses and may affect training, equipment and protocols; retirements and imminent hiring affect staffing capacity.
What’s next: EMS will complete its deputy chief hiring and proceed with implementation steps for the whole-blood program as the technical advisory group’s approvals permit.
