Rep. Murphy Joins Fellow Otter Tail Co. Delegation for EMS Task Force Hearing Elbow Lake, MN — Last week Representative Tom Murphy (R – Underwood) joined fellow Otter Tail County officials Rep. Jeff Backer (R – Browns Valley) and Sen. Jordan Rasmusson (R – Fergus Falls) as well as the members of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Task Force for a field hearing in Elbow Lake. This Task Force was created in 2023 to review reports from the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) on various EMS amenities and bring forward recommendations where needed to improve these life-saving services. This hearing was dedicated to hearing directly from constituents in Northwest Minnesota on the challenges they face in accessing EMS assistance and what support these providers may need to better serve their communities. Speakers at the hearing included stakeholders in providing EMS support, local elected officials, as well as members of the public who shared their stories of the struggles they have faced in response times in more rural areas and lack of funding. “I’m glad this bi-partisan task force scheduled this field hearing to be able to experience the challenges we face in the Otter Tail area and appreciate their attentiveness to the important voices in our community that took the time to speak on these challenges.” Said Rep. Murphy on the hearing. “These are important issues for our rural communities and at times can be the difference between life and death. I hope this upcoming session we will be able to bring forward some meaningful solutions to keep these critical services available for everyone across the state of Minnesota.” |