Last week Olancha-Cartago Fire Department temporarily suspended emergency medical services. Olancha Cartago Fire Department said that they could not provide emergency services. This is expected to be temporary. Lone Pine Fire Protection District EMS and Ridgecrest EMS expanded their operating areas to include Olancha Cartago as an interim measure.

Inyo County Emergency Medical Services are sparse and fragile due to the current model, large service areas, limited personnel, inadequate call volume, and reimbursement constraints. Inyo County Medical Services depend upon volunteers; however, in recent years, volunteer numbers declined significantly. Recent shortages of qualified personnel created this temporary, unsustainable strain on Olancha-Cartago Fire Department EMS coverage. Olancha-Cartago Fire Department and Inyo County are working to ensure Olancha Cartago EMS is available to the public.

“The emergency service and fire services is reduced, as I understand it, by the Olancha Cartago Fire Department. That department is struggling with volunteers. Their board is holding a community meeting on Thursday night [September 19], which I believe they hope will highlight the problem and help get more people to want to volunteer, so that their community will have the fire and EMS service. But understand that across the county, this is a challenge for all of our communities to maintain this kind of service with the volunteer system,” said Supervisor Matt Kingsley, District 5, and Chairperson for 2024.

“We’re all working to ensure these services are available to the public,” said Anna Scott, HHS Director, Inyo County.

An emergency meeting to address the situation should be held Thursday, September 19, 2024.

Volunteers are needed! To volunteer contact your local fire department or emergency service provider.