Officials, residents warn moving ambulance dispatch could harm local response in Dolores County

An agency official told the Dolores County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 22 that proposed changes from the Dove Creek ambulance board could harm emergency response if dispatch is moved out of the county. "The biggest concern I have is, making sure our dispatch stays the same and make sure it stays local for all of our EMS people," the agency official said during public comment.

Speakers described concrete risks tied to nonlocal dispatchers: misrouted crews, slower responses on county roads and duplication of radio call signs that can create accountability problems. One participant said the county currently pays about $11,000 for 24-hour dispatch service provided through Cortez; others warned that a requirement in the ambulance board's RFP for Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certification would force the county to add full-time dispatch positions and benefits, increasing costs. A fire/EMS representative said the ambulance board has been using unit identifiers such as "Medic1" and "Medic2" that duplicate fire department call signs and that duplicate identifiers are a safety liability.

Commissioners and staff proposed a public workshop with the ambulance board to resolve operational and communication concerns and to review the RFP's technical requirements. A staff member noted the ambulance district's licensing had included a monopoly within the county service area but said that grant of exclusivity could be revisited by the board. The board agreed that a workshop would be the first step before deciding on policy or contracts.