Budget shortfalls have led to staffing cutbacks in the Southern Cascades Community Services District’s (CSD) EMS Division for the first half of the year. The services provided to Northern Lassen and South/Western Modoc County have been scaled back from full-time Advanced Life Support (ALS) to ALS staffing only on Wednesdays to Sundays. This leaves the response solely to a Quick Response Vehicle during the coverage gap.
This change became effective on January 1st due to a lack of funding and the aging of vehicles. The CSD explains that operating a fully staffed 24/7 ALS ambulance costs $700,000 per year. However, the district only receives $214,000 in parcel tax revenue and an additional $100,000 from ambulance transport services. The remaining $400,000 gap has been covered by funds from the District’s Health Transport Division. Unfortunately, this division can no longer sustain its contribution as its transportation vehicles have reached the end of their life cycle.
The funds cut from the EMS will now be redirected towards rebuilding the fleet to maintain a “healthy Health Transport Services (HTS).”
During the ALS service gaps, the Quick Response Vehicle will still have ALS-certified personnel responding to calls for service. However, they will only be able to provide patient care at the scene and will have to wait for a ground or air ambulance for transport. The Southern Cascades CSD assures that in critical situations, CSD office staff can drive the EMS ambulance with a paramedic on board to respond to calls and transport the patient.
These cutbacks are expected to be temporary until June when the CSD hopes to regain full-time 24/7 staffing with the start of the new fiscal year.
