NE Colorado RETAC

01/08/2026

🚑 Innovation in Action: Protecting Patients, Crews, and 911 Readiness

One of the strengths of the NCRETAC region is that our agencies don’t just follow best practices — they test them, improve them, and tailor them to real-world rural operations.

Morgan County Ambulance Service (MCAS) has been piloting the SEMTAC Interfacility Transport (IFT) Risk Assessment Tool and taking it a step further by using local data to better understand how transfer requests affect crew fatigue, system coverage, and patient safety.

After analyzing 50 recent transports, MCAS identified a clear pattern: the greatest risks weren’t rare weather events or unstable patients, but long-distance round trips, cumulative fatigue, and temporary depletion of 911 coverage. In some cases, a stable transfer could leave the county with little to no immediate emergency response capacity.

Using SEMTAC’s statewide tool as a foundation, MCAS has developed a locally adapted Transport Risk Assessment Tool that reflects their operational reality — three ALS units, long rural transports, and crews often already carrying fatigue when IFTs are requested.

Key enhancements include:
• More precise fatigue scoring that captures when crews may be technically legal but operationally unsafe
• Distance and time scoring based on true round-trip commitment
• Clear visibility of 911 system impact, including critical coverage depletion
• Defined score thresholds tied to clear decision pathways
• Mandatory supervisor review for high-consequence scenarios

This is exactly the kind of data-driven, safety-focused system design we want to highlight across the NCRETAC region. SEMTAC provided the framework; MCAS has shown how regional tools can be responsibly adapted to protect patients, providers, and communities.

The revised MCAS Interfacility Transport Risk Assessment Tool will go fully operational on January 12, 2026, with ongoing evaluation and refinement planned.

👏 Thank you to Freeman, Director of Public Safety, and the entire Morgan County Ambulance Service - MCAS team for setting the standard for thoughtful, defensible, and patient-centered EMS operations in rural Colorado.

The Morgan County Ambulance Service has completed a comprehensive operational review of interfacility transport activity to better understand how long-distance transfers affect our emergency response capacity, crew safety, and fatigue exposure within our rural three-unit ALS deployment model. Using the SEMTAC Interfacility Transport Risk framework as an analytical foundation, MCAS evaluated fifty recent interfacility transport requests to study how transport duration, resource commitment, and out-of-county operations interact with 911 system readiness.

The review confirmed that the greatest operational risk within our system does not typically arise from isolated events or rare circumstances. Instead, risk increases when several conditions occur at the same time — extended round-trip transport duration, reduced in-county ambulance availability, and cumulative crew fatigue — even when a patient is clinically stable and otherwise appropriate for transfer. These situations can temporarily strain countywide response capacity and increase safety exposure for both patients and providers.

In response to these findings, MCAS is implementing a locally adapted Interfacility Transport Risk Assessment Tool that allows supervisors and crews to evaluate operational risk in a structured, objective, and transparent manner before committing an ambulance to a long-distance transport. This tool strengthens our operations by improving decision clarity, enhancing documentation, and ensuring that patient transfers are evaluated not only for medical appropriateness, but also for system survivability and responder safety.

This new process will enhance our operational readiness and service delivery by:
• Improving the safety and sustainability of extended transport operations,
• Helping prevent periods of critical 911 coverage depletion,
• Supporting consistent and defensible decision-making across shifts and incidents,
• Reinforcing fatigue-aware and safety-focused deployment practices, and
• Ensuring that interfacility transports remain coordinated, timely, and clinically appropriate.

MCAS remains fully committed to supporting patients who require transfer to higher levels of care. This tool is not intended to delay or restrict necessary transports — rather, it provides a standardized framework to help determine when mitigation strategies, supervisory review, or alternative coordination may be needed to complete a transport safely.

Implementation of the revised MCAS Transport Risk Assessment Tool will go into operational effect on Monday, January 12, 2026. As part of this process, MCAS is working collaboratively with our partner hospitals, referral facilities, and regional EMS agencies to ensure shared understanding, continuity of care, and strong communication throughout the transport coordination process.
Our organization will continue to collect data, monitor outcomes, and refine this model as part of our ongoing commitment to safety, accountability, and responsible system stewardship.

Through continued collaboration with our healthcare partners and the communities we serve, this approach will help ensure that interfacility transports are conducted as safely, effectively, and efficiently as possible — while maintaining reliable and timely 911 emergency response for the residents of Morgan County.
We appreciate the trust and support of our partner agencies, regional healthcare organizations, and community members as we move forward with this safety-focused enhancement to our operations.

Read our report of findings here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HwqlMp1daKyP84m_yfXigPmsii3HzJ_l/view?usp=sharing

Travis W. Freeman
Director of Public Safety

01/06/2026

Did You Know? Colorado 529 Plans Can Now Help Pay for EMS and Nursing Training, Certifications, and Workforce Development

When most people hear “529 plan,” they think about saving for college. Recent state and federal law changes have made Colorado’s CollegeInvest 529 plans far more relevant for EMS professionals, nurses, first responders, and their families.

Under current law, 529 plans may now be used tax-free for a wide range of workforce training, licensure, and professional certification expenses, not just traditional degree programs.

Eligible uses now include:
>EMT, paramedic, and nursing education, licensure, and certification courses
>Continuing education needed to maintain certification or licensure
>Exam and testing fees
>Books, supplies, and required equipment
>Certain registered apprenticeship programs

In addition, Colorado taxpayers may claim a state income tax deduction for contributions to a 529 plan—up to an annual cap that is adjusted over time—allowing families to invest in education and workforce training while reducing their state tax burden.

There are also benefits for employers:

Colorado law allows employers to contribute to employee 529 plans and receive a state tax credit, creating another tool to support recruitment, retention, and workforce development in EMS, nursing, and public safety.

For rural and frontier providers—where education costs, travel, and limited employer reimbursement are real barriers—this can be a practical way to plan ahead and support long-term professional growth.

Learn more about Colorado’s 529 plans and recent legislative updates here:
👉 https://www.collegeinvest.org/legislative-updates/

As always, individuals should consult their tax advisor regarding their specific situation, but this is an important option we want our healthcare and first responder community to be aware of.

01/02/2026

Protecting Those Who Protect Us

We want to recognize and thank Representative Dusty A Johnson for her leadership in sponsoring and advancing HB25-1195 (https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1195), an important new law that strengthens privacy protections for first responders and their families in Colorado.

We are also grateful for the support and partnership of the bill’s additional sponsors—Representative Matthew Martinez - A Voice for Southern Colorado, Kyle Mullica for Senate District 24, and Senator Mark Baisley—whose bipartisan leadership helped move this important legislation forward.

This new law extends address confidentiality protections to individuals who are or have been peace officers, firefighters, volunteer firefighters, EMS providers, and emergency communications specialists, as well as their spouses. Eligible first responders may now request that their home address be kept confidential in voter registration records and certain required financial disclosures, reducing the risk of harassment, intimidation, or retaliation tied to their public service.

Importantly, the law:
>Allows first responders to request address confidentiality through their county clerk and recorder
>Requires the Secretary of State to approve a standardized application form
>Prohibits counties from charging any fee to process these requests
>Requires custodians of covered records to deny public inspection of protected addresses, with limited exceptions, when disclosure would be contrary to the public interest

This is a thoughtful, practical policy that acknowledges the realities faced by first responders—particularly those working in high-risk roles or visible leadership positions—while balancing transparency and public trust.

We appreciate the collective commitment of these legislators to supporting the safety, privacy, and well-being of Colorado’s EMS providers and the broader first responder community. This is a meaningful example of how targeted legislation can make a real difference for those who serve.


EMSAC - Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado & Colorado Chapter of National Association of EMS Physicians

12/31/2025

🚨 Big News for Rural & Frontier Health Care in Colorado 🚨

We’re feeling a strong sense of hopeful excitement following today’s announcement from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF): Colorado has been awarded more than $200 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP)—representing over $1 billion over five years to support rural and frontier health care across the state.

NCRETAC was directly involved in advocating for the needs of Coloradans, and more specifically for the realities facing our northeast Colorado region. This investment reflects years of work by many partners to ensure that EMS, hospitals, behavioral health providers, and rural health systems were clearly recognized as essential to access, equity, and outcomes.

This funding is intended to support:
>Sustainable access to care
>Workforce development
>Innovative and integrated care models
>Technology and system efficiencies
>EMS, hospitals, behavioral health, and rural clinics working together

While we do not yet know the specific actions HCPF will take or how funds will be allocated for EMS agencies and hospitals in our region, we expect those details to be shared soon through rulemaking and program guidance. NCRETAC will remain actively engaged to ensure that regional needs, rural realities, and EMS system sustainability are front and center as implementation moves forward.

This is an important step—not the finish line—but one that recognizes what rural Colorado has long known: access to care matters, and EMS is a critical part of that equation.

More to come soon.

Federal funding will address significant health care needs and gaps in Colorado’s rural and frontier counties, representing more than $1 billion over 5 yearsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 29, 2025Media ContactMarc WilliamsDepartment of Health Care Policy & Financing720-626-0801 (Cell)

12/25/2025

While many are unwrapping gifts, some are answering calls. 🎄🚑

This Christmas, healthcare providers across the Northeast Colorado region are on duty—staffing ambulances, covering emergency departments, and standing ready for whatever the day brings—so their communities can be home, safe, and merry.

The photo captures just a small snapshot of that commitment, with teams from City of Wray EMS and City of Yuma Ambulance Service crossing paths with UCHealth EMS at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital. Different patches, same purpose.

For these professionals, Christmas isn’t just about being merry—it’s about being on call, on scene, and on point when their neighbors need them most.

From all of us at NCRETAC, thank you for spending the holidays doing what you do best: caring for others so the rest of the region can celebrate in peace.

12/22/2025

Season’s Greetings from the Northeast Colorado Regional Emergency Medical and Trauma Advisory Council

As 2025 comes to a close, the NCRETAC team extends our warmest wishes for peace, joy, and good health this holiday season. We are grateful for the dedication and service of every EMS provider, trauma care partner, hospital team, first responder, and community supporter throughout Northeast Colorado. 

Your commitment strengthens our emergency care system and enriches the communities we serve across nine counties.

Thank you for all you do.

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas and a safe, successful New Year.

— NCRETAC Leadership and Staff
Visit us at ncretac.org

12/18/2025

Day 3 of the Austere Emergency Care course was exceptional.

The day began with a live walking blood bank transfusion demonstration, followed by challenging extended scenarios designed to push teams to problem-solve, adapt, and truly find their way in an austere environment. The day concluded with students preparing for tomorrow’s capstone event—the culmination of the course—featuring more than 20 professional actors serving as patients. This immersive experience provides the highest-fidelity opportunity for participants to apply their newly developed skills, clinical judgment, and decision-making processes under realistic conditions.

Thank you to Anyone Not Ready and City of Yuma Ambulance Service for their partnership and support.

12/17/2025

Austere Emergency Care day 2 was off the charts! City of Yuma Ambulance Service

12/15/2025

Really pleased to share Episode 2 of Ambulance Insights—now available and recorded live at the CAA Congress in Adelaide, Australia.

Our executive director Nick Nudell had the opportunity to join a great global conversation with:

Jason Killens KAM, CEO, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Jordan Emery, CEO, Ambulance Victoria

We talked openly about the challenges and opportunities facing ambulance services across very different systems—workforce, funding, rural and remote response, and what’s next for our profession. Despite the distance between us, the similarities were striking.

If you’re involved in EMS, ambulance leadership, or health system planning, I think you’ll find this a worthwhile listen.

🎧 Listen here: https://corvanta.com/ambulanceinsights/

12/15/2025

The Austere Emergency Care class is underway in Yuma, CO. Anyone Not Ready & City of Yuma Ambulance Service

12/11/2025

The Northeast Colorado RETAC is proud to support and sponsor the Austere Emergency Care (AEC) course taking place next week at City of Yuma Ambulance. This intensive program, taught by Anyone Not Ready, will bring medical professionals from across Colorado together for advanced training in delivering high-quality care in remote, resource-limited, and challenging environments.

By investing in opportunities like this, NCRETAC continues its commitment to strengthening emergency medical services across our nine-county region and ensuring that rural and frontier communities have access to the same high-level education available in larger systems.

We are grateful to City of Yuma Ambulance Service for hosting and to all the EMS providers who are dedicating their time to expand their skills for the benefit of the communities they serve.

We look forward to sharing updates from the training next week.