Oct. 27, EMS Shortage

Air Date:
Heard On Route 51
Three ambulances are parked in a garage with closed doors.
Waushara County EMS vehicles are parked Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021, in Wautoma, Wis. Angela Major/WPR

What if you called 911 during an emergency and help never arrived? Workforce shortages, escalating costs and funding gaps have placed Wisconsin’s emergency medical services in peril, a situation that is even more dire in rural communities.

More than 40 percent of state EMS agencies have staffing gaps where no ambulance is available for emergency calls, according to a 2023 report from the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health. Most rely on assistance from EMS agencies in neighboring communities at least some of the time. Shereen Siewert welcomes Wisconsin EMS Association Executive Director Alan DeYoung and Office of Rural Health Outreach Manager James Small to share insight about the challenges faced in communities throughout the state.

Episode Credits

  • Shereen Siewert Host
  • Ezra Wall Producer
  • Joy Ratchkramer Producer
  • Alan DeYoung Guest
  • James Small Guest