BURNS FLAT, Okla. — After all Burns Flat EMS staff members resigned, ambulance coverage for Burns Flat and several nearby communities will shift to a neighboring EMS agency, according to a Facebook post from the department.
Effective June 1, Sinor EMS will provide ambulance coverage for the area, the post stated. The Hobart ambulance will cover Sentinel, while the Clinton ambulance will cover Burns Flat and Foss. Coverage for Dill City will be shared between both services, with jurisdiction lines still being finalized.
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The agency said residents may notice longer response times and unfamiliar medic crews responding to emergencies.
Burns Flat EMS paramedic Rayanna Fisher told KFOR that rural EMS providers play a critical role because hospitals are often miles away, but she said the state does not classify them as essential employees.
“In the rural setting, we are so essential because hospitals are miles away and unfortunately the state does not deem us as essential employees,” Fisher said.
The closure comes after every medic resigned amid a dispute over pay, with Burns Flat EMS EMTs earning $4.58 per hour plus additional compensation for 911 calls handled during their shifts, KFOR reported. The service’s two co-directors also personally contribute about $150 each month from their own paychecks to help keep EMS operations running.
KFOR contacted Burns Flat town officials seeking comment about the end of EMS operations, but officials declined to comment.
Burns Flat EMS said the board and county are actively working toward determining a long-term solution for EMS coverage moving forward.
