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EMS volunteers warn proposed essential‑services bill could force staffing and oversight changes
Summary
Local EMS volunteers told the Montgomery Board of Health that a pending 'essential services' bill could move oversight and licensing to different authorities and require two EMTs plus a driver on every call — a staffing standard that would strain volunteer squads.
A representative of local volunteer EMS described a pending state-level 'essential services' bill that would add emergency medical services to the list of required municipal essential services. The speaker said several squads have been asked to provide input to legislators and that bill language is still being drafted.
"There's a bill... it's called the essential services bill, where they're looking to include EMS as an essential service," a volunteer speaker said, noting six squads — including Montgomery and nearby towns — provided feedback. The volunteer warned that if oversight or licensing shifts to a different authority, the new rules could require two EMTs and a driver on every call, a standard that volunteer squads sometimes cannot meet. "The problem is ... their requirements are 2 EMTs and a driver on every call. And that's a problem with an all volunteer squad," the speaker said.
Speakers said the change could push volunteer squads toward formal licensing and billing regimes administered under different rules, which could have operational and financial implications; board members heard the report but no formal action was taken.
Why it matters: The proposed change could materially affect how municipal EMS is staffed and funded if statutes or oversight responsibilities change. Board members and EMS leaders said they will continue to monitor draft legislation and advise legislators where possible.
