Blackfeet Tribal Emergency Medical Services and other rural emergency medical services across Montana are receiving a fiscal boost with a statewide $8.7 million investment from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The funds are part of the first round of funding from the federal five-year Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Montana received a $233 million RHTP award this year.
The $8.7 million will go to rural EMS agencies across the state for purchasing new equipment. The state gave new ambulances to four agencies including Blackfeet Tribal EMS, which cost around $340,000 each. Absarokee Rural Fire District located in Stillwater County, Avon Volunteer Fire and EMS in southern Powell County, and Prairie County Ambulance Service all also received money for new wheels. All the agencies currently operate ambulances over 20 years old or use leased ambulances that are not all fully functional.
Alongside the ambulances, the state also awarded specialized equipment to 75 agencies and three tribal governments. Ventilators, cardiac monitors, power load systems and cots, stair chairs and IV pump systems comprised the 238 pieces of equipment awarded to agencies based on need. IV pump systems and ventilators will be used to transport critical patients from rural centers to larger medical facilities for more advanced care. The power cot system and stair chairs will help lift and load patients.
“Every day, EMS professionals and volunteers respond when their neighbors need them most,” Charlier Brereton, director of the state health department, said in a prepared statement. “This funding will help EMS agencies replace critical equipment, improve patient care, and better support the responders who serve their communities – creating a lasting impact across rural Montana.”
Zoë Buhrmaster here. Let’s get into the rest of the roundup.
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