Rural Emergency Medical Services Expect Hits From Reduced Funding
Officials at emergency medical services agencies in rural parts of California warn that a 10% funding cut included in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's (R) budget proposal could further weaken the agencies, the Stockton Record reports.
At least one local EMS agency could collapse, and another agency has already begun scaling back services, according to the Record.
The California Emergency Medical Services Authority, the state agency that oversees the regional program, is backing Schwarzenegger's proposed cuts, according to Shirley Tsagris, public information officer for the authority.
Tsagris said the authority has not been convinced by local agencies that said they might be eliminated if their budgets are cut further. She added, "It's a local decision as to how they will address the problem."
Regional EMS agencies serve more than one in six Californians.
Officials of the regional agencies maintain that annual state funding is 4% below the state contribution a decade ago, while workloads have more than doubled.
In addition, Steven Andriese, executive director of the Mountain-Valley Emergency Medical Services Agency, said the agencies no longer receive federal special project funds, which range from $50,000 to $200,000 annually (Nichols, Stockton Record, 4/20).