On Tuesday, Jan. 9, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Task Force held a field hearing in Elbow Lake at the Grant County Social Services Building. Representative Jeff Backer (R-Browns Valley) and Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) invited other members of the Task Force to visit their district to hear from constituents on ways to improve the life-saving services provided by EMS personnel.
“I would like to offer my thanks and appreciation to the dedicated professionals that took time to visit with us, share their stories and suggestions, and discuss ways we can improve EMS services in our region,” said Backer. “As someone who has served as a volunteer EMT for almost 30 years, I understand the unique challenges facing emergency services in our area and am committed to continue our important work with local and regional stakeholders to improve services for all of our communities.”
From mayors to health care professionals, the Task Force heard from a number of testifiers on how to ensure rural communities have access to vital EMS resources. This meeting served as a listening session to gather public input from Western Minnesota–subsequent hearings will take place in other regions of the state before session begins.
“Representative Backer and I were glad to bring the Task Force here to learn more about the concerns and challenges facing EMS services in the area,” said Rasmusson. “We had a great turnout at this event, demonstrating just how important this topic is to the people we represent. We received a lot of helpful insights from the testifiers, and we will take the ideas we heard to shape our work this session. As we look to improve access to these life-saving resources, we need to find a solution that works for rural communities, not just the metro.”
In November of 2023, Backer and Rasmusson were appointed to serve on the EMS Task Force. The Task Force consists of a bipartisan group of legislators, five from the House and five from the Senate. It aims to find ways to improve the life-saving services provided by EMS personnel in Minnesota communities.
According to officials, Minnesota has more than 250 licensed ground ambulance services, which in 2021 responded to approximately 540,000 emergency calls to 911. A February 2022 report by the Office of the Legislative Auditor outlined a variety of concerns about the overall viability of EMS providers and the persistent funding and staffing challenges they’ve faced in recent years, particularly in greater Minnesota. The report also noted concerns related to the Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board’s oversight capabilities and authority to set certain standards.
For more information and to view the meeting documents, please visit, http://www.lcc.mn.gov/ems/meetings.html.