County EMS seeks new lead and EMT positions, cites volunteer limits and training needs
Summary
Lander County EMS asked the commission to add a lead/training position in Battle Mountain and a basic EMT post in Austin, plus modest overtime and standby pay increases to shore up daytime coverage while the department builds a training pipeline.
County EMS leaders told the commission the department needs to add staff to create redundancy and relieve reliance on an aging volunteer base. Commissioners reviewed requests to add a lead (education/trainer) role in Battle Mountain and a basic EMT position in Austin, extend overtime and add a small standby pay line. Healthcare staffing and recruiting challenges, and the need to run local EMT training classes, were cited as reasons for the proposed hires.
Heather Neill and EMS representatives said training classes have helped surface candidates but the instructor burden falls on on‑shift staff, which reduces available coverage. "When we posted for the 4‑H professional we were able to fill that with 100% FTE," one agency representative told the board while discussing staffing changes; commissioners approved the EMS budget with the added positions and directed the department to continue documenting grant and reimbursement flows related to training and Medicare/Medicaid billing.
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