HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/03/2026 04 Distributed at the MeetingDistributed at Meeting:
3-3- 2O26, Item#
Yakima County EMS Medical Program Director
2403 S.18th Street, Suite C, Union Gap, WA 98903
(509) 574-2145 Fax (509) 574-2159
Councilmembers,
Thank you for this opportunity to be heard regarding Yakima Fire Department's requests for funding and
increased EMS training. I am an emergency physician, and more importantly, I serve as the Yakima
County EMS Medical Program Director. I wish to express my strong support for the Yakima Fire
Department's request for funding to expand advanced EMS training for its providers —from EMT to
AEMT and Paramedic.
The core of this request is simple: early arrival of ALS-capable fire units saves lives and reduces suffering.
While AMR does an excellent job of providing ALS care to our fellow citizens, Yakima Fire is often the
first to reach our sickest patients. When those first -arriving crews include EMS providers trained to
provide advanced airway management, cardiac interventions, and time -critical medications, the
patient's chances of survival and meaningful recovery increase dramatically. Even in non -critical cases,
early access to pain medication, nausea medication, and other ALS treatment options, reduces pain and
suffering.
Communities that have invested in fire -based ALS response —including many in Washington —have seen
decades of improved outcomes in cardiac arrest survival, stroke recognition, and trauma care. I would
specifically point to the excellent example the Vancouver Fire Department, who (also in partnership with
AMR) has contributed to truly remarkable outcomes for Clark County. Yakima deserves the same level
of modern, evidence -based service that comparable cities provide. Our community's needs have grown,
and our EMS system must grow with them.
A key barrier has been funding and related access to ALS education. Paramedic and AEMT programs
require significant time, tuition, and clinical placement availability. By funding structured pathways for
Yakima Fire personnel to obtain this training, the city removes barriers and builds a sustainable,
homegrown ALS workforce —one that reflects our community and stays in our community. Fortunately,
Yakima lies close to two of the best paramedic training programs in the nation - CBC in Richland, and
CWU in Ellensburg.
I also want to briefly address concerns raised in the NAEMT article "Rethinking EMS Staffing." While the
article raises valid points about staffing models in some regions, it does not argue against ALS capability,
nor does it suggest that communities should scale back clinical proficiency. In fact, the article
emphasizes aligning staffing with local needs. In Yakima, our call volume, acuity, and geography clearly
support the need for more ALS-trained responders. The criticism that ALS training is unnecessary or
inefficient simply does not reflect the realities of our system or the outcomes we aim to achieve.
In short, this investment is not about expanding bureaucracy, it is about expanding prehospital
capability at the moment it matters most. It strengthens our EMS system, supports our firefighters, and
most importantly, improves the health and safety of the people we serve.
Thank you for your continued commitment to the wellbeing of Yakima's residents.
Sincerely,
Kevin Hodges, MD, FACEP
EMS Medical Program Director -Adams, Benton, Franklin, and Yakima Counties