This episode of Inside EMS is brought to you by Lexipol, the experts in policy, training, wellness support and grants assistance for first responders and government leaders. To learn more, visit lexipol.com. In this episode, our cohosts,  Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson discuss the dire straights for rural EMS as Kelly settles into his new region in upstate New York. Tune in as they discuss: Why EMS isn’t deemed essential. Though more states are making moves to designate EMS an “essential” service, it’s not universal. What will the designation mean for EMS – and will it be a tax base? The volunteer shortage. With volunteers aging out of EMS, how do we bring new volunteers in? The diminishing numbers are not due to generational differences, Kelly says. “I used to be one of those people who said, ‘aw, kids these days,’ … it’s not the kids that are bad, it’s that EMS has failed to adapt to the times,” he noted. Getting over ego and grudges. Mergers and consolidation are a path to stem EMS closures, but require getting over old conflicts and for someone to step aside and make way for growth. They ask for your input: What will save rural EMS? Chat with our hosts at [email protected]. RATE AND REVIEW Catch a new episode every Friday on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, PodBean, Amazon Music, Stitcher, Spotify, and RSS feed. Enjoying the show? Please take a moment to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts. Contact the Inside EMS team at [email protected] to share ideas, suggestions and feedback, or if you’d like to join us as a guest.