With One Month To Go Until No Ambulance Service, Copper River EMS Decides Not To Have Public Meetings

911 Ambulance Service Ends July 1st 

CREMS DECIDES NOT TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS 

Delta Medical Transport probably won't be in the Glennallen 4th of July Parade this year. The ambulance service is leaving the valley the last day of June. (Photo by Copper River Country Journal) 

May 17,  2024

Copper River EMS Says They've Decided

  "To Reach Out To People Individually" 

$500,000 A Year Needed To Run Ambulances 

Along With 12 to 15 Volunteers 

Copper River EMS Says They're Talking To Businesses In Glennallen, Tazlina, Copper Center, Chitina & Tiekel 

Copper River EMS (CREMS) has announced that they will not be holding public meetings about the imminent loss of ambulance service in the Copper Valley. Ambulance service in the Copper River Valley will cease on July 1st, 2024 when Delta Medical Transport leaves the valley – unless CREMS takes over the task. In order to do that, Copper River EMS said in a letter to the Country Journal that they need to raise $500,000 a year. 

In a letter to the Country Journal May 17th, 2024, in response to the Journal asking when and where a meeting on this topic might be held for the public, Jolene Nashlund of CREMS wrote:

We have been reticent to have a public meeting. This is because often it turns into a blame game of whose fault the current situation is rather than the matter at hand.

What we have decided to do instead is to reach out to people individually if they would like more information. They can call, text, email, or meet with us. In addition to the packet that I sent you, there was an article published in the Copper River Record last week stating it as well. I have been to the businesses in Glennallen and Tazlina already speaking with them. On Monday I will continue onto Copper Center all the way to Chitina and Tiekel. 

Please let me know if you have any questions or thoughts. I would love to hear them. There are a lot of great ideas out there! 

Several weeks ago, when CREMS gave an informational piece to the Copper River Country Journal, they requested monetary donations from local people to keep ambulance services afloat. 

The current breakdown of medical services in the valley is unprecedented.   The lack of an ambulance service compounds the problem of not having a doctor – along with a lack of nighttime and weekend medical care. 

SEE COUNTRY JOURNAL STORIES ON THIS TOPIC, CLICK HERE 

MORE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE STORIES 

The phone number for CREMS is: 907-822-3671

Its email address is: crems@cvinternet.net