Pocatello Fire Department Proposes Removing Inkom Ambulance, Adding Paramedics in South Bannock County EMS Overhaul
POCATELLO, Idaho — The Pocatello Fire Department is recommending a significant restructuring of emergency medical services in south Bannock County, including taking the Inkom volunteer ambulance out of service and hiring four full-time paramedics to expand advanced life support coverage in rural communities that have long faced delayed emergency response times.
Bannock County commissioners heard the proposal Tuesday and are expected to vote on the matter next week. Interim Fire Chief Shane Grow and Autumn Baker, executive assistant for the Pocatello Fire Department, presented the plan during a hearing at the Bannock County Courthouse.
Reliability Data Drives Recommendation to Remove Inkom Unit
The most significant structural change in the proposal involves eliminating the Inkom volunteer ambulance from active service. Data presented to commissioners showed the unit responded to just 26.9 percent of calls in its coverage zone during fiscal year 2026 — fewer than three out of every ten calls. Fire department officials recommended reallocating the unit’s equipment to the new McCammon fire station.
“Our problem that we’re facing in Inkom is that they’re out of service so frequently and we have to be efficient in our resources,” Baker said during the presentation.
When volunteer units are unavailable — which Baker said happens frequently across south Bannock County — ambulances must respond from Pocatello, a journey that can take roughly 30 minutes to reach a patient in communities like Inkom, Lava Hot Springs, and McCammon.
“I don’t think that’s a reasonable amount of time to expect a patient to wait for ambulance service,” Baker said.
By contrast, the proposal calls for keeping volunteer ambulance operations in Lava Hot Springs and Downey active. Baker noted that Downey’s unit is in service approximately 80 percent of the time, making it a reliable component of the regional response network.
Current Inkom volunteers would not lose their agency affiliations under the plan. Officials said volunteers could staff shifts at the new McCammon fire station alongside career paramedics, allowing them to maintain their EMT licensure. Living quarters are available at the new McCammon facility to support that arrangement.
Paramedic Expansion Aims to Close Critical Care Gap
South Bannock County currently relies primarily on basic life support services. While EMTs operating under basic life support can monitor patients and perform certain procedures, they cannot administer medications. That limitation is significant in life-threatening situations — patients suffering cardiac events or serious injuries such as a broken femur cannot receive pain medication without a licensed paramedic on scene.
The proposal calls for hiring four full-time paramedics and consolidating six existing coordinator positions into one regional role. The plan would cover two of three platoon shifts in McCammon with paramedics, providing advanced life support coverage four out of every six days across the south county area.
“This now provides that coverage by having medics based in McCammon,” Baker said.
The push for expanded coverage has been building for several years. In 2023, federal funding was secured for a new McCammon fire station, and Bannock County contributed $1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to include an EMS ambulance bay. That same year, the county received an Assistance to Firefighters Grant for training, sending seven individuals to paramedic school. In September 2024, the county applied for and received a grant to purchase a new frontline ambulance, which is expected to arrive at the McCammon station in the coming weeks.
Financing for the expanded service would draw primarily from the Ground Emergency Medical Transportation program, a federal reimbursement mechanism that offsets costs associated with transporting Medicaid and Medicare patients when reimbursements fall short of actual expenses. Baker clarified the program is not a grant but a structured federal offset.
The department anticipates its first Ground Emergency Medical Transportation payment of approximately $784,000 around May 15, covering nine months of fiscal year 2023. Payments of roughly $1 million each for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 are expected in December 2027.
“Our budget is about $4.7 million and half of that comes from our own generated revenue and billing that we do,” Baker said. “It’s not all tax dollars.”
Commissioners indicated they intend to consult with the mayors of Pocatello and Chubbuck before making a final decision. The fire department has identified approximately May 18 as a key deadline to begin an academy for the new paramedic positions.
For residents in rural communities across southeast Idaho, reliable emergency response is a fundamental public safety concern. As Bannock County weighs this decision, officials on both sides of the discussion say their shared goal is ensuring that a 911 call in Inkom, McCammon, or Lava Hot Springs gets a prompt, capable response. For more on community preparedness efforts across the region, see Reconnect Southeast Idaho Prepares for Summer Constitution Camp, and follow statewide public safety developments at Idaho News.
What Comes Next
Bannock County commissioners are expected to vote on the proposal next week. The fire department has flagged approximately May 18 as a critical deadline to initiate an academy for new paramedic hires. Officials plan to consult with Pocatello and Chubbuck mayors before casting a final vote. Residents with concerns about south county emergency services are encouraged to contact the Bannock County Commission ahead of the scheduled vote.