A month ago, Norwood Fire Chief John Bockrath traveled to Washington, D.C. to speak on behalf of rural EMS and today’s struggles. Invited by representatives of the National Association of EMTs, NAEMT, Bockrath was on site for what is designated as EMS week on Capitol Hill with eight others from Colorado, two of which were from the Western Slope, including Bockrath and Bayfield Fire Chief Bruce Evans.
EMS officials went back and forth from the House to the Senate, trying to reach those from Colorado and other states who are affiliated with rural areas. Bockrath said the first few days were slow-going, as they had to speak with aides, the young, 20-something staffers that seem to run Washington, D.C. After aides recommended EMS officials have access to senators and congressmen, the work became more productive.
Bockrath said most people he talked had no idea places like Norwood, Nucla and Naturita even exist anymore. Furthermore, they were astounded to hear travel times to hospitals were one and a half hours on a good day from Norwood, and at least two hours from Nucla, Naturita. He told lawmakers while rural Colorado has frontier clinics, none are really equipped with emergency rooms, or cardiac and trauma support; it’s basically family doctors who assess for colds, flus and give stitches.
Still, Bockrath was impressed with Congressman Jeff Hurd and Senator Michael Bennet. In fact, he and Rep. Hurd are set to meet in May in Grand Junction, upon Hurd’s arrival back to the Western Slope. Hurd wants to talk EMS, and also water.
Additionally, Bockrath and other EMS officials spoke with other Colorado Representatives who’ve authored House bills, and support Senate bills, regarding EMS. Conversations with legislators from West Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming took place.
What would Bockrath and other EMS officials like to see happen?
Bockrath told the Forum he wants to see EMS be made “essential” at the state level.
“Municipalities and counties have to provide for fire and law enforcement, but not EMS,” he said. “We don’t have funding from the state.”
Bockrath said he has no idea how Jeff and Tonya Stephens in the West End pull off what they do in the 1,000 square miles of territory on such a low budget. Nucla-Naturita is not required to have EMS at all, and still the husband and wife team make it happen.
Of course, Norwood isn’t required to provide EMS either in its 900 square miles of territory. No ambulance transport has to happen for anyone.
But, lawmakers designating EMS as an “essential service” opens the doors to funding, from private donors to governments and also entrepreneurs. Then, rural departments can really hire the personnel needed to cover their territories.
Bockrath remains grateful for Norwood’s mill levy, which helps to pay full-time people to staff EMS. He’s on alert, though, with construction and development arriving to the West End. The Four Seasons has purchased the Rimrock Hotel in Naturita for workforce housing, which means 55 or more people will be commuting up and down Norwood Hill to Telluride daily. And, Norwood’s new school starts construction in June with another 150 workers in and out of Wright’s Mesa.
“We do the best we can with the resources we have,” Bockrath said, “but if EMS is essential, we can get funding and hire.”
He added that also means continued trainings, better medical equipment, ambulance upgrades and more. He told the Forum a new ambulance these days costs $400,000. That’s half of Norwood’s budget, and four times Nucla-Naturita’s.
Behavioral health care needs and long-term care for the sick and aging are other issues he brought before lawmakers during his talks at EMS week.
He remains optimistic
Speaking with congressmen and senators isn’t new to him. Back in Chicago 40 years ago, he was involved in the efforts for more advanced life support for departments. He fought for three years to see change, and it happened. He feels optimistic about change now. In fact, he said he feels confident the State of Colorado could make EMS essential this year. Last year it didn’t pass by just a few votes.
“It will be huge,” he said, “but we have to watch out for what happened in Illinois when funds opened, that they don’t go to only urban areas. In Illinois, that’s what happened. The City of Chicago got most of it.”
He said the state has to be careful that Denver doesn’t get it all and that monies get spread out. His belief is that rural departments deserve their share, and even if a small-town department has a low call volume — something that’s affected his ability to receive grants in the past —everyone deserves the best care possible.
“It’s what we need to get through to people,” he said. “It’s a work in progress.”
Bockrath said in the next year, he has plans to stay heavily involved in speaking with lawmakers.
