Dear Neighbors,
I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season. I hope this time of year is filled with joy and merriment along with family and friends.
EMS Task Force
We never know when we may need to count on them, but when we do, paramedics, EMTs and first responders are ready to provide care to people at a moment’s notice. Unfortunately, due to declining revenues and struggles to recruit and retain personnel, many departments that provide ambulance services in rural Minnesota are in crisis.
Speaker Melissa Hortman recently appointed me to serve on a new Task Force on Emergency Medical Services. The task force will examine new ways the Legislature can strengthen the lifesaving services EMS personnel provide and protect the viability of providers. We will dig deep in a bipartisan fashion to solve the challenges those providers of emergency medical services are facing.
We’ve already had two public hearings, including a packed room this week in Mountain Iron. It’s extremely valuable to bring the State Capitol out to Greater Minnesota so we can hear directly from EMTs and other first responders most impacted by this crisis. I’m grateful to our community leaders and other stakeholders who made their voices heard, and we will keep their ideas and stories at the forefront of the task force’s work to solve this critical issue.
Photo: Mark Sauer, Mesabi TribuneA Salute to Steve Giorgi
Last night at the Range Association of Municipalities and Schools (RAMS) annual dinner, I had the tremendous opportunity to honor former executive director Steve Giorgi. Steve helped build RAMS into a model for what’s possible when we all work together in partnership, contributing to a single powerful voice advocating for our region's future. I'm deeply grateful for his career of contributions to the Iron Range and am blessed to call him a dear friend.
Please continue to be in touch. It’s an honor to represent you.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Sincerely,
Dave Lislegard
State Representative