Rawlins County approves EMS pay increases; EMS seeks grant for two automatic CPR devices

The Rawlins County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 2 approved increases to the county's EMS pay scale and heard that the county's EMS representative is applying for federal grant funding to buy two automatic CPR devices.

Megan Rippe, the EMS representative who presented the department's monthly report, told commissioners she is applying for a KRAF grant to obtain two Autopulses (automatic CPR machines) and asked the board to sign the appointment for EMS Region I. Rippe said EMT pay will rise to $19.00 per hour and AEMT pay to $20.00 per hour for 2026. She reported her own salary will increase from $65,000 to $70,000 and stated that hours over 50 would be paid at $10.00 per hour; she also said she was not requesting additional pay for teaching the EMT training class.

Commissioner Mark Mosley moved and Commissioner Alan A. Solko seconded a five-minute executive session to discuss non-elected personnel with the Commissioners, the County Clerk's Office and Rippe present. The board entered the session at 9:15 a.m. and returned at 9:20 a.m.; the minutes record that no action followed the session.

The pay-scale changes were discussed during the regular meeting as part of the EMS report; the minutes do not record a roll-call vote or a ledger showing budgetary impact. The board recorded routine motions and approvals elsewhere on the agenda. Next steps for the grant application or formal adoption of any detailed EMS staffing budget were not specified in the minutes.