South Dakota Creates EMS Funding Task Force

New law aims to address financial challenges for emergency medical services providers

Mar. 27, 2026 at 4:49pm

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The South Dakota state government has passed a new law that creates a task force to assess and improve funding for emergency medical service (EMS) companies across the state. The task force is expected to include lawmakers as well as input from EMS directors like Nicole Hannon of Sioux Falls Patient Care EMS and Brian Hambek of Spearfish Ambulance, who say current funding models are unsustainable.

Why it matters

EMS providers in South Dakota have been facing significant financial pressures, with companies losing money on many emergency response calls. This new task force represents an effort by the state government to address these challenges and find ways to stabilize funding for critical emergency medical services.

The details

The new law, passed by Governor Rhoden, establishes a task force that will be responsible for evaluating the current EMS funding system in South Dakota and recommending improvements. The task force is expected to be made up primarily of state lawmakers, but EMS directors like Nicole Hannon and Brian Hambek are also expected to have a strong influence on the process.

  • The new law was passed by the South Dakota state government in March 2026.

The players

Governor Rhoden

The governor of South Dakota who signed the new law creating the EMS funding task force.

Nicole Hannon

The Director of Operations at Sioux Falls Patient Care EMS, who is expected to provide input to the task force.

Brian Hambek

The Executive Director of Spearfish Ambulance, who is expected to provide input to the task force.

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What they’re saying

“'a great opportunity'”

— Nicole Hannon, Director of Operations, Sioux Falls Patient Care EMS

“Things can't keep going the way they are because companies are losing money every time they respond to an incident.”

— Brian Hambek, Executive Director, Spearfish Ambulance

What’s next

The task force is expected to begin its work in the coming months and provide recommendations to the state government by the end of the year.

The takeaway

This new law represents an important step by South Dakota to address the financial challenges facing emergency medical service providers across the state, with the goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of critical EMS operations.