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Sheriff urges Dolores County to keep emergency dispatch local amid ambulance board dispute
Summary
Sheriff Wilson told the Dolores County Board of Commissioners that proposed ambulance-district changes and an RFP risk moving dispatch out of county control, harming response times and safety; the board ratified ambulance-board appointments and agreed to workshop the issue after the holidays.
Sheriff Wilson told the Dolores County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 22 that proposed changes from the ambulance district could weaken local emergency response and urged the board to keep dispatching in-county.
"If dispatch does get moved to someplace else according to the ambulance board then that would be detrimental," Wilson said, arguing that local dispatchers know county roads and place names and can better triage multiagency incidents. He said one example involved a rock slide near Slick Rock where nonlocal dispatchers asked for location details they did not know, creating potential delays.
Wilson said the ambulance board’s request for proposal — which he said came from ambulance-board president Joyce Barnett and appeared written by ambulance chief Damian Smith — proposes procedural changes and new requirements that would increase costs for Dolores County, including full-time Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) staffing. "You would have to have two dispatchers 24 hours to be EMD," he said, adding that certification and full-time staffing (with benefits) would be a substantial new expense.
The board also heard concerns that ambulance unit identifiers are conflicting with fire and other agency call signs, complicating the incident-command system and accountability. Speakers said state registration currently lists the ambulances as "Medic 1" and "Medic 2" through July 2026; non‑unique or overlapping identifiers can make it harder to account for personnel and equipment on scene.
The discussion followed a motion earlier in the meeting to ratify Resolution 12-25-18, which the board adopted to confirm appointments to the Dub Creek Ambulance Board of Directors made on Nov. 24. The chair said the written resolution was prepared at DOLA’s request to supply documentation the state agency sought; adopting the resolution does not change the underlying Nov. 24 appointments.
Commissioners agreed to schedule a public workshop after the holidays to allow the ambulance board, dispatch staff, fire agencies and other stakeholders to discuss operational questions and governance options. One county official suggested writing a formal letter to the ambulance board emphasizing that county dispatch has long provided local knowledge and that any changes should preserve public safety.
The board also approved routine permits and expenditures during the same meeting. The sheriff asked the board not to accept an RFP or other contractual changes that would remove dispatch expertise from Dolores County without a fuller review; commissioners signaled they would pursue a workshop and further fact‑finding in January.
What happens next: the board plans a workshop to bring ambulance-district board members, dispatch staff and other emergency services representatives together to seek a path forward without undermining local response capabilities.
