Informational Meetings Scheduled for the County-Wide EMS Levy
Press Release from Carbon County EMS Agencies
Carbon County EMS agencies will be holding community meetings this month to answer questions and help educate the public about the challenges the ambulance services are facing and about the upcoming county-wide EMS levy. The levy which will provide much needed funding to the ambulance services will be on the June 4th primary ballot.
Ambulance services in Carbon County have been experiencing delayed response times and 32 times in the past year a local ambulance was not available to respond to a 911 call. “This is not a new problem and it is not just a problem in Carbon County,” says Torsten Prahl, Assistant Chief of Red Lodge Fire Rescue. “Laurel EMS has been experiencing similar challenges and last year their voters approved 50 mils to support their Ambulance service.”
“The way things have been operating is totally unsustainable.” said Robin Harper, lead paramedic with Joliet Ambulance. “We are having trouble recruiting, training and retaining volunteers; we’re having trouble replacing vehicles and equipment; there are times where there is no one to answer a call for service and we have to rely on neighboring agencies which greatly increases the time for an ambulance to show up. We need to figure something out now at a county level, because it is a county issue and it's only going to get worse.”
The services conducted a county-wide survey last February to learn more about the knowledge and expectations of county residents. The results indicated that the community thinks it is very important to have an ambulance available to respond to medical emergencies and that it is very important to have well trained personnel with access to up to date equipment.
On March 7, 2024 the Commissioners approved a resolution placing a referendum on the June 4, 2024 Primary Ballot to allow voters to consider imposing an 18 mil County-wide levy to fund the provision of both emergency-and non-emergency ambulance response; emergency medical services and other emergency services beneficial to the citizens of Carbon County. The county commissioners found that current funding structures for Ambulance Services have been insufficient for staffing and the operations of the county’s three ambulance services: Joliet Ambulance, Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance and Red Lodge Fire Rescue. The vote was requested collectively by all three agencies in order to help address the challenges they face in ensuring emergency services in line with the county’s current and future needs and expectations.
The public meetings will be hosted by Joliet Ambulance, Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance and Red Lodge Fire Rescue in towns across the county.
Currently the following meetings have been scheduled:
April 11 at 6:30 pm at the Roosevelt Center in Red Lodge,
April 17 at 10 am and 7 pm at the Joliet Community Center,
April 27 at 10am and 7pm at the Joliet Fire Hall,
May 1 at 6:30 pm the Roberts Fire Hall,
May 17 at 10 am and 7 pm at the Joliet Community Center and
May 22 at 10am and 7pm at the Joliet Fire Hall,
Meetings in the Clarks Fork Valley will be announced soon.
Meetings dates and information can be at carboncountymtems.org
Joliet Ambulance and Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance are all-volunteer EMS organizations and Red Lodge Fire Rescue is a combination volunteer and career emergency response organization. For more information about services and volunteer opportunities at any of these agencies, email carboncountymtems@gmail.com