Come to an Informational Meeting
The issue
“The way things have been operating is totally unsustainable. We are having trouble recruiting, training and retaining volunteers; we’re having trouble replacing vehicles and equipment; there are times where there is no one to answer a call for service and we have to rely on neighboring agencies which greatly increases the time for an ambulance to show up. We need to figure something out now at a county level, because it is a county issue and it's only going to get worse.”
"Ambulance services in Carbon County have been experiencing delayed response times and 32 times in the past year a local ambulance was not available to respond to a 911 call. This is not a new problem and it is not just a problem in Carbon County. With this levy, we are trying to get in front of the problem. ”
"Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance has 3 volunteers that covered 84% of their calls last year. What happens when they are not able to respond?"
"The Red Lodge/Roberts Ambulance District Fee of $69 was passed in 2010, with inflation, that amount should be more like $100 today. $69 just doesn't go as far today as it did 14 years ago. "
DID YOU KNOW
EMS is not an essential service in Montana. Government (city, county, state) does not have to provide EMS.
This means that you might call 911 in an emergency, and an ambulance may not be available.
The funding system for EMS agencies in Carbon County is unsustainable and causes delayed response times and missed emergency calls.
Your nearest ambulance may be an hour away.
Current Funding System
Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance
Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance is also funded by a county contribution, opt-in subscription fees ($40/year + $10 each additional person in household), grants and donations.
All Carbon County, MT EMS Services bill for service.
They can only charge for "loaded miles" - calls where a patient is actually transported.
Typically, only 50% of billed services are actually paid.
Joliet Ambulance is also funded by a county contribution ($12,000 from PILT funds), grants and donations.
Red Lodge
Fire Rescue
Red Lodge EMS is also funded by a county contribution, the Roberts/Red Lodge Ambulance district fee ($69/property/year), grants and donations.
Joliet EMS
How will the levy work?
What will this levy fund?
EMS in
Carbon County
Get to Know Us
Emergency Medical Services in Carbon County are primarily provided by three organizations: Joliet Ambulance, Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance and Red Lodge Fire Rescue. Joliet and Clarks Fork Valley are run entirely by volunteers and offer paramedic level services when those people are available. Red Lodge EMS , a division of Red Lodge Fire Rescue has 24/7 paid paramedics on staff thanks to the Red Lodge/Roberts Ambulance Fee assessment; volunteers fill out the crews. Joliet and Clarks Fork Valley only run 911 EMS calls and do not do interfacility transfers. Red Lodge Fire Rescue also provides Fire and Search and Rescue and they provide interfacility transfers.
Statistics and Information about the Joliet Ambulance District
Statistics and Information about the Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance District
Statistics and Information about the Red Lodge/ Roberts Ambulance District
Carbon County EMS Districts
Carbon County EMS is a collaboration between Joliet Ambulance Service, Clarks Fork Valley Ambulance, and Red Lodge Fire Rescue.
Each agency has a dedicated team of certified EMTs, Advanced EMTs, Paramedics, and drivers which provide outstanding pre-hospital medical services to the residents and visitors of Carbon County.
We are committed to delivering the highest quality of care to ensure the health and safety of our community, and we rely on our volunteers to make this possible.
Together, we work to make a difference in the lives of those in need.