(Red Oak) The Red Oak City Council on Monday night passed a resolution to discontinue EMS Service to Emerson. The resolution authorizes City Administrator Lisa Kotter to provide written notice to the City of Emerson that the Red Oak Fire Department will discontinue emergency medical service (EMS) responses to Emerson effective Monday, July 13, 2026, unless the two communities reach a written agreement.
In June, the Red Oak City Council authorized five 28E agreements with the cities of Stanton, Villisca, Elliott, Emerson, and Grant to help fund regional paramedic-level emergency medical services provided by the Red Oak Fire Department.
The agreements establish a two-year interim funding plan while Red Oak, Montgomery County, and surrounding communities continue working toward a long-term funding solution for ambulance services, potentially through an Essential Service funding referendum.
City Administrator Lisa Kotter said discussions have been ongoing since November to establish a 28E agreement with five communities that either lack responding emergency medical providers or rely on Red Oak as a backup, such as Stanton and Villisca.
City Administrator Lisa Kotter explained to the Red Oak City Council that there is a disagreement on the funding cap after two years. Kotter says in the meantime, Emerson has gone with the Malvern EMS service.
The Emerson City Council is scheduled to meet on July 8, and Kotter plans to attend to clarify Red Oak’s position and determine whether Emerson wishes to continue discussions regarding a written agreement.
If Emerson decides to pause implementation of its agreement with Malvern and continue negotiations with Red Oak for backup or ALS coverage, the notice would not be issued, and negotiations toward a mutually acceptable 28E agreement would continue.
If no meaningful progress is made, the City Administrator will issue a notice that Red Oak Fire Department EMS responses to Emerson will end effective July 13, 2026.
