WYOMING — As part of Governor Mark Gordon’s efforts to improve the delivery of health care in Wyoming, $15 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act will focus on stabilizing the EMS system in the Cowboy State.
“One of the key components necessary for Wyoming to have a robust healthcare system is to ensure our first responder system is viable and sustainable,” Governor Gordon said. “It is essential that emergency services be ready to respond when and where the need arises, whether that be in our most rural areas or in our larger communities.”
The Wyoming Legislature approved $5 million in stabilization funding and $10 million to develop regional pilot programs.
“Since last year the Governor’s Health Task Force has been engaged in conversations to better understand EMS operations around the state, said the Governor’s office in a statement yesterday. Regional EMS providers have struggled to sustain operations in recent years due to a combination of factors, including low call volume, high cost of operations, staffing and volunteer shortages, and reimbursement for services.”
For Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS, staffing and volunteer shortages have presented themselves as an issue, however low call volume has not. In fact, Jackson Hole Fire/ EMS has seen a 40% increase in call volume in the last three years. Chief Brady Hansen says it’s the biggest challenge his team faces.
The Task Force and Wyoming Department of Health will host a series of regional discussions with stakeholders to address challenges related to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the coming months. The first regional discussion will take place in Cheyenne and address Trauma Region 3, which includes Albany, Laramie, Goshen, and Platte Counties. Additional meetings will follow in each of the state’s five trauma regions, with exact dates and locations still to be determined.
