Councilmember says Emery County EMS faces volunteer shortage; council asks for community help

Huntington — Todd Judd told the Huntington City Council on Feb. 19 that Emery County's emergency medical special service district is facing budget shortfalls and a shortage of volunteer emergency responders.

Judd, who said he joined the Emery emergency medical special service district board about five months ago, described a recent countywide meeting that brought many EMTs together and highlighted staffing and budget concerns. "It was quite an eye opener," he said, adding that volunteers do much of the work and "we absolutely need them in our county." He urged residents to consider volunteering and community support.

Judd said the district is exploring ways to recruit volunteers and consider compensation for time spent running ambulances. "We're trying to figure out a way to, compensate them for that time that they spend," he said, noting the board's work is ongoing.

Why it matters: Volunteer EMS shortages can affect response capacity across rural counties. Huntington's council member participation on the district board signals the countywide nature of the issue and a potential area for local outreach or policy change.

Next steps: Judd said the Emery EMS board will continue to evaluate budget and volunteer-support options. The council did not take a formal vote on city-level funding at the meeting but aired the concern publicly to encourage community engagement.

At the meeting: Judd raised the issue during council reports, noting the board's active schedule and asking for public help recruiting volunteers.