Friday, March 13th, 2026 |
Photo – SCWEMS ambulance at the barn – Bigfoot99 file photo
Saratoga residents have voiced their concerns about the shortage of ambulance drivers in the Platte Valley.
During the February 4th Saratoga Town Council meeting, as the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Service’s monthly report was being discussed, resident Dan McGuire asked if SCWEMS had ambulance drivers in town. McGuire explained that he suffered a medical emergency roughly six weeks before. Instead of being transported to Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper by ambulance, he had to wait over two hours for a rescue helicopter.
Mayor Chuck Davis speculated that SCWEMS may not have had a second ambulance driver available. The medical transport service must have at least one driver in the Platte Valley at all times to handle emergencies. With only one person on duty, SCWEMS must rely on outside ambulance providers, such as Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service, formerly Classic Air Medical, to transport patients out of the area.
McGuire said fortunately, his medical insurance covered the helicopter trip.
Mayor Davis acknowledged the shortage of ambulance drivers but said it is a SCWEMS matter and not something the Council can directly affect. The mayor said the state will attempt to use the $205 million Rural Health Transformation Program to address the broader issue: a lack of volunteers.
McGuire said that while he was being flown to the hospital, the helicopter EMT reported that he had picked up seven patients from Saratoga that week. McGuire described a case in which someone without medical insurance is facing a $140,000 helicopter bill because SCWEMS had no available drivers.
Mayor Davis said he understood McGuire’s concerns, adding that the problem is not unique to Saratoga.
The matter was addressed again at the February 18th Saratoga Town Council Meeting. Steve Martin, the town’s SCWEMS representative, recognized the organization’s need for drivers. However, Martin said SCWEMS relies on volunteers to staff its ambulances, which are becoming increasingly difficult to recruit.
SCWEMS volunteers receive $50 for calls under four hours and $100 for calls over that time. Martin said he hopes the Rural Health Transformation Program funding can be used to attract more volunteer drivers and EMTs to the organization.
On March 9th, Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 122, which sets how Wyoming will manage and distribute the federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding. While county‑by‑county allocations have not yet been finalized, the state is investing 80 percent of the first‑year award, $164 million, into a perpetuity fund to ensure the federal support lasts beyond the initial five‑year allocation.
During the March 4th Saratoga Town Council meeting, resident Richard Hodges also commented on the lack of SCWEMS drivers. Hodges recommended having off-duty police officers drive the ambulances.
Mayor Davis explained that SCWEMS is entirely separate from the town. While he isn’t opposed to assigning off‑duty police officers to transport patients out of the Platte Valley, the mayor said the ambulance service must attempt to resolve the problem on its own. If that proves impossible, then the town can step in to assist.
Mayor Davis invited Hodges to bring his idea to the SCWEMS Joint Powers Board at its next meeting, adding that the Saratoga Police Department would need to approve the plan as well.
Other Carbon County towns are feeling the effects of the SCWEMS volunteer shortage as well. During the March 10th Hanna Town Council meeting, SCWEMS Joint Powers Board Vice Chairman Carl Bickel presented his monthly report. Bickel said the organization is working to hire a new director following the resignation of Stayton Mosbey in September and to secure a grant to construct a new ambulance barn in Hanna. Councilman Sam Sikes recommended focusing on attracting more volunteers, adding that Memorial Hospital of Carbon County has been responding to emergency calls in Hanna because SCWEMS is understaffed.
Councilman Sikes said every town is experiencing a lack of volunteers, but Hanna is facing the worst shortage in the county.
The Wyoming Department of Health is expected to begin distributing the Rural Health Transformation Program funding on July 1st. While 80 percent of the state’s initial $205 million award is being placed in a perpetuity fund, the remaining $41 million is designated for short‑term projects. From the first year’s investment earnings, roughly $1.76 million will be available specifically for EMS staffing and services. Saratoga’s SCWEMS representative, Steve Martin, said the organization’s Joint Powers Board intends to apply for a portion of those funds.
