Opinion piece: Rural EMS services at risk for shutting down across the country

Rural EMS is changing and the challenges it faces ahead threaten the ability of rural EMS services to survive.

It’s happening in towns across the country and whether or not you are aware; it’s most likely occurring in your town too. Many rural ambulance services are shutting down or consolidating with neighboring towns. Nationwide, it is estimated that up to three rural agencies are closing each month.

What’s going on? It’s been called the “perfect storm.” For years, rural towns have depended on local community volunteers to staff their ambulance and first-responder services. But that has begu...