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Supervisors hear alarm over dwindling EMS volunteers on county's east side; staff to propose solutions
Summary
Supervisors reported volunteer shortages left some eastern Woodbury County towns without ambulance coverage and that towns are relying on neighboring departments; county staff will bring proposals during the budget process to stabilize coverage (shared-staffing, county assistance, facility use), after a productive meeting with local EMS and fire leaders.
Committee reports highlighted a serious staffing and volunteer shortfall affecting emergency medical services in eastern Woodbury County. Supervisors said towns including Hornick and Smithland currently lack ambulance coverage; Oto and Danbury supply service but some stations have only a handful of volunteers and response times can reach 30–40 minutes in parts of the county.
A supervisor who attended a recent meeting with the emergency services director described the problem as a "snowball effect": as volunteers drop off because of fatigue and high call volume, coverage worsens and remaining volunteers are further strained. The county's year-end budget planning will include proposals from the emergency services director to provide additional support and stabilizing measures, including potential shared facilities or county staffing to augment volunteer squads.
Officials emphasized they do not intend for the county to take over volunteer squads but want to explore options to stabilize coverage and reduce long response times. "We need better coverage out there," a supervisor said, adding that any proposal will seek to help stabilize volunteers while minimizing the long-term fiscal burden on taxpayers.
