Mitchell Grapples with Ambulance Service Challenges

Volunteer-staffed emergency services face sustainability issues across Wheeler County

Mar. 26, 2026 at 12:00am

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The Mitchell City Council discussed the future of emergency medical services in Wheeler County at their March 17 meeting, with volunteer EMT John Hayes warning that "the system as it exists now is going to fail." Fossil lost its local ambulance service in 2024 when the last two EMTs resigned, leaving Mitchell and Spray to cover the entire county. A task force convened by Oregon Solutions is working on a proposal to create a centralized command structure while allowing local autonomy, likely funded by a county-wide tax levy.

Why it matters

Maintaining reliable emergency medical services is a critical issue for rural communities like Wheeler County, where an aging volunteer workforce and budget constraints have strained the existing system. The proposed changes aim to create a sustainable model that can serve the entire county, but will require buy-in from local governments and voters.

The details

The Mitchell City Council heard from volunteer EMT John Hayes, who serves on the Oregon Solutions task force, about the challenges facing the county's ambulance services. All three local services - in Mitchell, Spray, and the now-defunct Fossil service - are staffed entirely by volunteers, many of whom are older and finding it difficult to commit the time and training required. This led to Fossil losing its ambulance service in 2024, forcing Mitchell and Spray to cover the entire county. The task force is working on a proposal to create a centralized command structure while allowing local autonomy, likely funded by a county-wide tax levy that would need voter approval.

  • In July 2024, the last two EMTs in Fossil resigned, leaving the city without local ambulance service.
  • The Oregon Solutions task force has been meeting for months to discuss solutions for Wheeler County.

The players

John Hayes

A volunteer EMT who staffs the Mitchell ambulance service and serves on the Oregon Solutions task force.

Jake Crawford

The mayor of Mitchell, who also serves on the Oregon Solutions task force.

Carol MacInness

The mayor of Fossil, who recently announced the city has recruited six new EMTs and five ambulance drivers.

Jeremiah Holmes

The sheriff of Wheeler County, who is a member of the Oregon Solutions task force.

Fossil Ambulance Department

The former ambulance service in Fossil, which ceased operations in 2024 when its last two EMTs resigned.

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What they’re saying

“The system as it exists now is going to fail. It already has failed in Fossil, and it could fail here at any time.”

— John Hayes, Volunteer EMT

“To have the EMS system continue and make it sustainable, it looks like we're going to have to have a tax, like a local option tax levy.”

— Jake Crawford, Mayor of Mitchell

“This is just to try and find an answer to the EMS problem Wheeler County has - all it is is a recommendation. In order to move forward with anything, it has to be agreed by everyone.”

— Jeremiah Holmes, Sheriff of Wheeler County

What’s next

The Oregon Solutions task force is close to finalizing a proposal to address the ambulance service issues in Wheeler County, which would likely involve a centralized command structure funded by a county-wide tax levy that would require voter approval.

The takeaway

Maintaining reliable emergency medical services is a critical challenge for rural communities like Wheeler County, where an aging volunteer workforce and budget constraints have strained the existing system. The proposed changes aim to create a sustainable model, but will require collaboration between local governments and buy-in from voters to succeed.