Idaho’s emergency medical services lack resources

Nov 20 2021 - BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ Most of Idaho's emergency medical services rely entirely on volunteers and don't have enough resources to meet the needs of their communities, according to a new report from the state's Office of Performance Evaluations.

Just 18% of EMS directors reported that their agency is able to maintain sufficient staff, according to the report released Friday, and 65% said they experienced delayed emergency response times because of staffing problems within the last year.

Under state law, emergency medical services aren't considered ``essential,'' so there is no guarantee that every community will have access to ambulances or paramedics in an emergency. Across Idaho, EMS programs are run by a variety of entities _ including private organizations, fire departments, local governments and other groups _ using a patchwork of funding.

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