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Local EMS workers and petitioners say new ESD would help staff and sustain emergency response
Summary
Supporters at the June 30 hearing said Emergency Services District No.2 would fund personnel and equipment to improve response times and retain local EMTs and paramedics; an EMS worker testified that local hiring could reduce long commutes and improve service reliability.
Supporters at the June 30 hearing argued that a dedicated emergency services district could stabilize staffing, pay, equipment, and response times in northern Brewster County.
Petitioner Reagan Stone testified that the district "will support around 6 full time EMTs and paramedics as well as vehicles, equipment, and admin," and said the board should ensure competitive pay and benefits. Vernon Tucker, a 9‑1‑1 EMS worker, described commuting long shifts to make a living and said a local district could allow the county to "homegrow our paramedics and EMTs," reducing long commutes and improving local coverage.
Mark Rose, a task-force member, emphasized operational design that can allow districts to cooperate under similar medical control so crews can assist one another. Proponents framed the district as a long-term, structural solution to patch gaps left after prior subsidies ended and to preserve on-call capacity for remote incidents.
