Proposal aims to keep ambulance coverage gap from expanding

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - When you call 911, you’re counting on help coming to you in a timely manner. To make sure that happens, there could be some changes in store for North Dakota’s Emergency Medical Services system.

EMS Regional Advisor P.J. Ringdahl said North Dakota loses, on average, one ambulance service provider every year. That might not seem like a lot, but Ringdahl said when a provider closes its doors, it puts quite a strain on neighboring ambulance services.

“We want to provide the highest level of care possible and give them the best treatment and the best care, but it’s hard to do without people and without funding, and within North Dakota, the people part has been getting scarce,” Ringdahl said.

She said the new proposal would create a sort of contingency plan for ambulance services to follow in these kinds of situations. She said before, ambulance services would sometimes shut down with little to no warning. If the proposal goes through, it would provide struggling services with more options, like becoming a first-response-only service instead of shutting down altogether.

“It’s always a challenge to have people sign up for shifts. And in the area we serve, I feel it’s probably a bigger challenge because like I said, we have some areas that are over 30 miles from our ambulance service,” said Kelli Just, an EMT and region director for the Community Ambulance Service of LaMoure.

Ringdahl said ambulance services sometimes close because there aren’t enough volunteers or people move out of the area. She said right now, the EMS Association is in the process of working with lawmakers on crafting potential legislation.

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