VIDEO: One of the last bills Governor Reynolds signed for the 2021 legislative session will help put emergency medical service (EMS) departments across the state on the same level as law enforcement and fire departments.
Governor Reynolds signed SF 615 into law at a ceremony at Monticello Ambulance Service Wednesday afternoon.
Nathan Wheeldon is a volunteer firefighter and EMT in Martensdale, south of Des Moines. For his 6-7 person team, this bill is huge. “Especially small rural departments, because there is no dedicated, for sure source of funding, each department, small EMS departments they have to be self-sustaining,” says Wheeldon.
Senate File 615 gives EMS departments in Iowa the chance to be declared an essential service.