OKAMA was formed in 2000 to serve as a voice for Oklahoma EMS. OKAMA's purpose is to provide an organized and unified voice for ambulance services to intermediaries, legislators, and regulatory bodies, as well as develop and promote a code of ethics for ambulance services. See our About page for more information.
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The Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Stabilization and Improvement Revolving Fund
Posted almost {{count}} years ago
Dear Fellow OKAMA Member, I have attached a notice you may have received, but I wanted to forward to all of our OKAMA Members. The Oklahoma Emergency Response Systems Stabilization and Improvement Revolving Fund (OERSSIRF) was established by legislation, specifically SB 1918, in the last session of our State Legislature. The fund was created in response to a Recommendation of the Governor’s Task Force on Emergency Medical Services Readiness, a recommendation for the State to make funds available to At-Risk Emergency Medical Services in Oklahoma. The legislation created a Revolving Fund that will accumulate up to $2.5 million each year. These funds are the excess of Tobacco Tax Collections appropriated to the Oklahoma Trauma Systems. These funds are to help stabilize Oklahoma EMS and to prevent the further loss of EMS in our State. Specifically, as stated in SB 1918 and on the OSDH website, “The monies in this fund shall be expended by the Department (OSDH) for the purpose of funding assessment activities, stabilization and/or reorganization of at-risk emergency medical services, development of regional emergency medical services (EMS), training for emergency medical directors, access to training front line emergency medical services personnel, and capital and equipment needs.” The Department has created a scoring tool that is intended to give preference to those that will have the greatest need and to encourage application by those that can make the most efficient use of the funds. State Funds for EMS are unprecedented. It is the responsibility of all that work in Oklahoma EMS to make the best, most effective use of the Fund to help those that need it the most. IF, the amount of the Fund is not sufficient to meet the need, it may be difficult or impossible to get more, unless we have worked together to use it the way it was intended. Please evaluate the areas of your EMS, or any EMS in your area to understand how these funds could help you and your community. As always, our Oklahoma Ambulance Association is willing to help you in any way that we can. Please contact us if we can be of any assistance. Greg Reid, Past President, Board Member
Download: OERSSIRF.pdf
