November 16, 2022 |
South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services needs an infusion of volunteers, stat!
Penny Layman, the SCWEMS Encampment board member, said the entire state is experiencing trouble finding people for their emergency services programs. New people are needed without delay.
Pictured above: Photo courtesy of South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services.
At least week’s Encampment Town Council meeting, Layman asked the town to allow her to apply for a Wyoming Department of Health ARPA grant. Issued by the Office of Emergency Medical Services, Layman said the grant is designed to help local medical programs come up with ways to lower operating costs and recruit volunteers.
The exact amount of money SCWEMS will request from the grant is unknown at this time, but is around $165,000.
Layman said the grant would be used in two ways. The first way involves funding training classes for EMRs, or emergency medical responders, in Medicine Bow and Encampment. The SCWEMS board member explained to the council why the two towns were chosen.
Using the grant money, SCWEMS would provide EMR training for two people, one in Medicine Bow and one in Encampment. Layman said the EMRs will be able to get to an emergency quickly and determine what type of treatment is required.
An EMR would be capable of performing basic first aid, such as CPR. Layman said the EMR classes will allow someone to join SCWEMS without going through the extensive training required to become an EMT. The SCWEMS board member explained the difference between EMR and EMT certification.
Encampment has an ambulance on stand-by, but no drivers or EMTs to run it. Layman said it’s been about a year since anyone in town responded to a medical call. Even with a driver, Layman said patients would still have to wait for a medical responder to get there.
Layman would also like to use the grant money to purchase two SUVs to replace Encampment’s ambulance. Without an EMT in town, the ambulance sits dormant. Layman described to the council what medical equipment the SUVs would carry.
Medication in the ambulance needs to be replaced as it expires, costing $5,000 a year. Stocking the smaller SUVs would save the town about $4,500 annually.
As reported by Bigfoot 99, SCWEMS was offering to pay for two people’s EMT training in exchange for a year of volunteer service.
At the November 10th Encampment Town Council meeting, Layman said they haven’t received enough interest in the program to support the town’s need for trained medical responders. She said an EMR would be able to handle many of the town’s emergency calls.
Layman told Encampment’s town council she was requesting permission to apply for the grant. Her presentation was to inform the town of what SCWEMS would like to use the money for.
The SCWEMS board member said the town would have a say in how the funds were used. The council approved Layman’s request.
Applications for the ARPA grant must be submitted by November 18th. If Encampment is approved for the funds, SCWEMS will use them to streamline their medical response procedure and drum up volunteers.
