Emergency Medical Services in Idaho are experiencing staffing shortages and a lack of funding that impedes their ability to provide lifesaving care across the state.
East Boise County
East Boise County Ambulance District (EBCAB) is attempting to establish a new EMS district that would allow the district to have agency instead of relying on county commissioners. The tax increase would result in $13 for every $100,000 value of assessed property. If this was increased to the maximum amount it would be $40 for every $100,000 in property value and $27 in taxes.
Before the levy rate can be set, the new board must be established. If the levy rate were to go through, taxpayers would not witness the increase until as late as 2026.
Despite having four ambulances, East Boise County EMS doesn’t have enough medical personnel to staff them.
In an interview with The Arbiter, EBCAB Director of Operations Mari Adams explained that the county commissioners called for the establishment of a new district.
“We [will] have our own EMS board that understands EMS instead of going through the county commissioners,” Adams said. “This was pushed by the county commissioners … because they know the importance of having people that understand what we do.”
While this tax increase may be a step in the right direction for East Boise EMS, Adams said more action is needed.
“Other courses of action are going to be needed. It will get us to a place where we can get more sustained, but it is definitely something that we need more money than what the max will allow us to have — but it’s a start,” Adams said.
“If this does pass, it will allow us to hire a few more employees,” Adams said. “That way we can get pretty close to having 24 hours, seven days a week coverage for one of our ambulances — we have four ambulances in different areas.”
Personal experiences from EMTs
Luke Murphy, an EMT Basic for Acute Rescue noted the hefty price-tag associated with emergency equipment that he thinks is often overlooked.
“A lot of people would be surprised at just basic costs of equipment, [the] little puck dials that hook up to your cardiac monitor that [can be up to] $1,000 per piece of equipment. An average ambulance can have up to a million dollars worth of equipment on it,” Murphy said. “You are kind of driving around a little mansion while you’re while you’re moving.”
Acute Rescue is a private industry and is not state-funded, however, Murphy has seen the effects of a lack of staffing for other EMS across the Treasure Valley.
A CBS article stated that in 2021 alone, nearly one-third of EMTs left their positions.
Additionally, the article noted that EMTs are ranked as one of the lowest-paying jobs by The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Murphy noted that a second job is necessary for most EMS workers.
As a graduate of Idaho Medical Academy, Murphy discussed some of the challenges of entering into the EMS field.
“The hardest part is just getting it [the job]. Every semester you have thousands of EMTs, [it’s] highly competitive,” Murphy said. “For most [it’s] easier to get a certification as an EMT, but getting an actual EMT job can be pretty tough as far as far as hiring. Typically Ada and Canyon have hiring pools … There’s no ‘I’ll apply right now and we’ll see what happens.’ You apply when they basically tell you to apply.’”
Valley County
Amanda Keaveny started volunteering with McCall Fire in 2016 as a firefighter and EMT and serves a dual role as a Firefighter and EMT, as well as the McCall Fire District Administrator.
Keaveny shared via email with The Arbiter the effects Valley County EMS District has experienced due to a lack of funding and staff.
“The staffing shortages have a direct and adverse effect on response times. When there are insufficient personnel to staff ambulances and fire engines simultaneously, response times lag, which can be critical in emergencies,” Keaveny said. “This delay can impede the delivery of timely medical interventions, compromising community safety especially in time-sensitive situations like cardiac events or severe injuries.”
Keaveny went on to share an example from McCall Fire Protection District Fire Chief Garrett de Jong.
“‘We got dispatched to a fully involved structure fire with a propane explosion on the North end of town,’de Jong recalls. “The ambulance crew loaded the patient up into the ambulance. On their way to the hospital, they dropped the fire captain off at the station to respond to the engine by himself.”
According to de Jong this resulted in a 15-minute delay in response time and that it took the team 7 to 8 minutes to get to the fire station.
Keaveny noted that Chief de Jong explained that if a whole crew had been on the engine the response time would have been six minutes, while the reaction time would have been merely 30 seconds.
Keaveny also shared a statement from Valley County Fire Chief Steve Hull.
“If the levy fails, EMS services will face severe cutbacks, potentially reverting to pre-2018 staffing models,” Hull said. “This would mean longer response times, decreased quality of care, and the possible loss of Advanced Life Support capabilities, which are crucial for handling severe medical emergencies.”
