OSDH awards $2.1 million in grants to EMS programs
Ponca City Now - September 17, 2019 10:16 am
The Oklahoma State Department of Health has awarded more than $2.1 million to stabilize and improve Emergency Medical Service programs in the state.
The monies will be distributed to 20 different EMS-related entities which submitted proposals for funding. A total of 20 separate proposals will be funded.
Local programs receiving funds this year include:
- City of Pawnee Ambulance Service
- City of Tonkawa Fire Department EMS
- City of Newkirk Fire Department EMS
The funds are distributed through the Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Stabilization and Improvement Revolving Fund, which was established by the Legislature in 2008 to fund assessment activities, reorganization of at-risk emergency medical services, development of regional services, training for medical directors, personnel and equipment needs.
Award applications were scored by economic viability and cost effectiveness, geographic area and the relationships between participating organizations, population and overall scope of need.
“The purpose for this fund is to stabilize and improve EMS functions within the state,” said Dale Adkerson, OERSSIRF contract manager. “These restricted tobacco taxes help fund many EMS programs servicing rural Oklahoma.”
The OSDH distributes these funds each year, and a panel of nine volunteers meets to review and score the proposals. The cumulative score determines their ranking among the submissions for that year. This is the 10th distribution for this fund. A total of 68 qualified entities have been awarded 164 contracts since the fund was established.
Other EMS programs receiving funding are:
- Woodward County EMS
- Sinor EMS, Inc. (Clinton, Sayre, Hobart & Thomas)
- Southwest Oklahoma Ambulance Authority (Hollis)
- EMS Success, Inc. (Choctaw)
- Tillman County EMS
- City of Antlers Fire Department EMS
- Jackson County EMS
- Choctaw County Ambulance Service
- Major County EMS
- Keyes EMS
- Gordon Cooper Technology Center (Shawnee)
- Heartland Medical Direction, Inc. (Crescent)
- Bryan County EMS
- Johnston County EMS
- Elmore City EMS
- Marshall County EMS
- McClain Grady – EMS
