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Rawlins County approves EMS director overtime pay as vehicle repairs and state inspection move toward hearing
Summary
Rawlins County commissioners approved overtime pay for EMS Director Megan Rippe, discussed repairs to Unit 416 (repair cost reported as just under $1,500) and said a state investigation into expired equipment articles on rigs will go to the State Board of EMS for a hearing.
Megan Rippe, Rawlins County EMS director, told the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 15 that Unit 416 required repairs after a dead battery and a failed air compressor; CAR Specialist estimated the repair cost at "just under $1,500." Rippe said Unit 417 will undergo assessment for possible air‑line leaks.
Rippe said the county had a spot inspection at the Atwood station after someone reported expired articles on rigs; a later spot inspection at the McDonald station found nothing. Rippe told commissioners that, despite the clean inspection at McDonald, the matter must still go through an investigation and will be considered by the State Board of EMS Committee, which will schedule a hearing.
Rippe raised concerns about firefighters driving EMS rigs, saying such drivers must have specialized training before routinely operating rigs. She also reported that two firefighters have been hired to assist with driving and that an EMT class with six enrollees will begin Jan. 6, 2026.
Commissioner Lincoln Pochop moved to pay Rippe for working over 40 hours per week in 2025 at $10 per hour (the remaining year) and to pay $10 per hour for hours over 50 per week in 2026; Commissioner Mark Mosley seconded the motion, which the board carried (vote tally not specified). Rippe had requested an executive session on non‑elected personnel; the commissioners met in executive session from 9:48–10:03 a.m. with the county attorney, the county clerk's office and RFD No. 2 Fire Chief Chris Niermeier as needed; the session ended with no action taken.
The board's action addresses immediate staffing and pay issues for EMS while the pending state investigation proceeds to a formal hearing. The county did not provide a vote tally for the overtime pay motion in the minutes.
