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Idaho county studying move to regionalized EMS

Look to cost, efficiency improvements possible with plan; may become model for state

By Timothy Menich
Des Moines Register

EASTERN POLK COUNTY, Idaho — Eastern Polk County city officials want to improve emergency medical services in the region and have begun discussing ways to restructure operations.

Altoona Mayor Skip Conkling, with the support of the City Council, has rallied interest from at least four other municipalities — Pleasant Hill, Mitchellville, Bondurant and Carlisle — that want to discuss restructuring traditional EMS operations. Officials say moving toward more regionalized EMS could benefit all communities in quality and cost of service and may even spark a new model across the state.

“It should be a trailblazer for the state of Iowa, but it could take a while to get the fire started,” said former Des Moines Police Chief Bill Moulder, who now operates a police management consulting firm.

Full Story: Eastern Polk County EMS to be studied