Efforts to close ambulance service gaps in Minnesota are taking shape.
Late last week, the Emergency Medical Services Task Force had its first meeting, which highlighted findings from state auditors.
In the report, 61% of outstate service directors said they had difficulty staffing ambulance shifts at the level needed to adequately respond to 911 calls.
Task force co-chair, state Sen. Judy Seeberger, DFL-Afton, provided a concerning outlook in a news conference before the meeting.
"We have a system that is on the verge of collapse," Seeberger said, "and we need to start identifying solutions to these problems so that we have viable EMS systems throughout the state."
Seeberger, who also is a paramedic, agreed the trend is more widespread in rural parts of Minnesota. This includes in communities like Nashwauk and Tower.
Other experts who spoke say provider shortages come as populations in many communities are aging, creating concerns about having enough life-saving services on hand.
Wednesday's meeting begins at 2 p.m. at the Northeast Service Cooperative in Mountain Iron.
Rural Minnesota Dr. Michael Wilcox — who also serves on the state's EMS regulatory board — said while the problem has been developing over the past couple of decades, the pandemic has pushed some systems and paramedics to the breaking point.
"We've had significant burnout of our EMS providers both in rural and metro areas," Wilcox said, "and this has been truly problematic."
He added it's getting harder to attract staff for volunteer operations.
Auditors and regulators have recommended overhauling how primary service areas are established. And they've called on the Legislature to explore options for improving ambulance service sustainability, potentially through pilot programs.
The task force is required to submit a final report to lawmakers by mid-August of next year.