Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Study and Strategic Plan

Over the next several months, with the help of numerous stakeholders and a contracted vendor, the Montgomery County Department of Public Safety will be taking an in-depth look at the Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) in Montgomery County. The goal of the study is to provide an updated plan and recommendations to guide the EMSS well into the future.

While dedicated EMS providers continue to serve the communities of Montgomery County every day, continuous strains on the EMSS for years have worn down even the most passionate clinicians and administrators. Many EMS agencies across the county, state, and country are struggling and some are in or nearing a crisis point. Unfortunately, some squads have ceased operations or merged with others because of severe fiscal and workforce shortages. Agencies across the board are experiencing steep increases in calls for service and operational costs, while at the same time seeing major declines in personnel and reimbursement revenue.

The study, planning, and recommendations will cover four key areas:

1. Readiness of EMSS to handle emerging threats.
2. Analyzing costs of doing business and a sustainable funding model to include operating and capital costs.
3. Evaluating the current EMS delivery model to ensure the efficiency of service delivery of critical calls to timely quality clinical care.
4. Examining the workforce's current and future needs including training.