State ambulance services and other emergency personnel say Minnesota's EMS system is on the brink of collapse.
They're calling for $120 million in emergency funding from the Legislature to address the problem.
"We're not just facing a problem, or a challenge like we talk about often in policy," says State Senator Grant Hauschild (DFL- Hermantown). "We are facing a crisis. I cannot emphasize this enough that this is a crisis we are facing in Minnesota."
The bill's supporters say EMT's have been leaving the profession in droves, and the shortage can mean longer response times for emergencies, especially in rural areas where ambulances are stretched thin.
Lawmakers and others on a recently-formed task force have also been considering increasing the role of volunteers, and creating a system of employee retention incentives.
"This shortage can mean longer response times, especially in rural areas where ambulances stretched thin, leaving lives in the balance," says President of the Minnesota Ambulance Association Mike Juntenen.
He says the system is on the brink of collapse without more funding from the state. They are saying the extra money from the Legislature will address workforce and funding shortages.