Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
Photo – SCWEMS ambulance barn – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rising costs have SCWEMS officials considering charging towns more for service.
In 2009, the Carbon County Board of Commissioners and the towns of Saratoga, Encampment, Riverside, Elk Mountain, Hanna, and Medicine Bow agreed to establish the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services Joint Powers Board. For an annual per‑capita fee, SCWEMS provides ambulance service to residents of the participating municipalities.
When it was formed, SCWEMS charged towns $30 per resident. After 13 years, the ambulance service found that costs were outpacing income, and the fee was raised to $34 per person in 2022.
During the March 18th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Physician Assistant and the town’s SCWEMS representative Steve Martin announced that the service was considering raising the per‑resident fee by four dollars.
Based on 2020 census population numbers, the Town of Saratoga contributes nearly $58,000 a year to SCWEMS. Under the proposed price increase, that number would rise to more than $64,000. Martin said that across all participating municipalities, SCWEMS would bring in an extra $20,000 annually, an admittedly small increase, but every dollar helps.
In the 2025 through 2026 budget, South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Services received $157,862 from participating municipalities and the county, which covers residents living in the unincorporated parts of the SCWEMS coverage area.
At the March 18th meeting, SCWEMS representative Steve Martin said the Joint Powers Board is still working on this fiscal year’s budget, which begins in July. Before the price increase is finalized, Martin said he’ll give a presentation informing residents what the money will be used for.
Mayor Chuck Davis warned Martin that the town must approve the price adjustment first. Even if the SCWEMS Board proposes a four‑dollar‑per‑resident increase, it won’t receive any additional money without the town signing off on the change.
Martin responded that the SCWEMS Joint Powers Board had yet to decide on the price change. Mayor Davis said that if SCWEMS decides to raise Saratoga’s contribution, the service will need to request a budget amendment.
In the meantime, Martin said he will put together a presentation to educate the public on what the medical transport service does for the people of Carbon County.
