Castle Dale authorizes employee to run ambulance one day per week as volunteers remain thin

The Castle Dale City Council approved a temporary staffing arrangement to address strained emergency medical services. The council agreed to allow Becca, a city employee, to ride with the Castle Dale/Orangeville ambulance one day per week while coordinating her schedule with existing personnel to ensure coverage.

Council members and emergency staff described a thin volunteer base: the department has six members, with three regularly taking calls and one EMT recovering from back surgery. Officials said local departments have struggled with recruitment and retention because of training time commitments and instructor availability, despite improved pay. The mayor cited recent emergencies during which ambulances from Ferron or Huntington took extended periods to respond due to lack of local units.

Council member Bradley Giles moved to allow Becca to run with the ambulance one day per week; Council member Emily Mills seconded and the motion passed unanimously. The council framed the vote as an immediate operational step to reduce response times while continuing broader recruitment and training efforts.