Supporting Rural EMS Recruitment, Retention, and Volunteer Well-Being
Utah’s rural communities depend on volunteer EMS professionals to provide lifesaving emergency response services. The Utah Association of Counties administers this program to help recruit, retain, and support volunteer EMTs, AEMTs, and paramedics serving qualified rural agencies across the state.
By reducing the financial barrier of health, dental, life, and disability coverage, this program helps rural agencies maintain strong emergency response capacity while recognizing the critical public service these volunteers provide. This program was created by the Utah State Legislature to strengthen emergency medical services in underserved areas of Utah.
Current Program Availability
Enrollment Funding Status
At this time, the Volunteer EMS Insurance Program has reached its current funding capacity, and we are unable to immediately enroll new volunteers.
However, we strongly encourage eligible volunteers to contact our office to be placed on the waiting list. As funding becomes available through participant turnover or additional appropriations, coverage opportunities will be offered based on the order in which individuals joined the waiting list.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Be licensed as an EMT, AEMT, or Paramedic
- Be a resident of Utah
- Provide EMS services as a volunteer/part-time unbenefited employee for a qualified rural agency
- Respond to 20% of calls over a rolling 12-month period
- For Medical and Dental insurance, not have affordable* coverage available through an employer or a spouse’s or parent's employer, and not have coverage through or a government plan or program, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or the VA
- If individuals are covered under another insurance plan, they must cancel their current plan upon receiving coverage under PEHP's Volunteer EMS Insurance. This plan does not allow for double coverage.
What happens if I lose eligibility?
If you no longer meet all of the eligibility requirements, your EMS coverage will end on the last day of the month in which any one of the conditions for eligibility no longer applies.
Please contact us to terminate your coverage:
ems@utahcounties.orgAFFORDABILITY SCALE
If the monthly premium cost of coverage available from another source exceeds the following amounts, you may be eligible to participate (this is not program cost—that can be found below):
2025 - 2026
Insurance Type
Health
Dental
Family
$373.08
$17.75
Double
$290.64
$12.56
Single
$154.22
$9.85
Coverage Benefits
Coverage is provided through PEHP and includes:
- Comprehensive medical coverage
- Dental benefits
- $50,000 life insurance
- $50,000 AD&D
- Dependent life coverage
- Long-term disability protection related to volunteer service
A full benefits summary is available below.
Benefits SummaryProgram Costs
Monthly cost for the 2026-2027 plan year:
Medical
- Volunteer: $0.00
- Double: $111.53
- Family: $219.85
Dental
- Volunteer: $0.00
- Double: $4.62
- Family: $13.38
How to Apply
Because the program is currently at capacity, applications are not being accepted at this time.
Coverage opportunities will be offered as funding becomes avaialable, based on waiting list order.
- Apple Valley Fire Department
- Beaver Ambulance
- Box Elder County Ambulance
- Brigham City Ambulance
- Cache County Fire District
- Cache County Search & Rescue
- Carbon County Ambulance
- Cedar Mountain Fire Protection District
- Central Box Elder Special Service Fire District
- Clarkston Fire & Rescue
- Corrine Fire Department
- Curlew Ambulance Service
- Daggett County EMS
- Dammeron Valley Fire & Rescue
- Deseret Generation & Transmission
- East Carbon City Sunnyside Ambulance
- Elk Ridge City Fire Department
- Emery County EMS
- Enterprise Ambulance Service
- Fielding First Responders
- Garfield County EMS
- Garland Fire Department
- Grand County EMS Special Service District
- Grantsville Fire Department
- Gunnison Valley Hospital Special Service Ambulance
- Helper Fire
- Hildale City Fire Department
- Hurricane Valley Fire Special Services District
- Hyrum First Responder
- Juab County EMS
- Kane County Ambulance
- Lewiston First Responders
- Logan City Fire Department
- Mantua Fire Department
- Mendon Fire Department
- Milford Ambulance
- Millard County Ambulance
- Morgan County Ambulance
- Mountain Green Fire Protection
- Newton First Responders
- Nibley Emergency Medical Services
- North Davis Fire District
- North Fork Fire Department
- North Sanpete Ambulance
- North Summit Fire District
- North Tooele Fire District
- North View Fire District
- Paradise First Responders
- Park City Fire District
- Perry City First Responders
- Piute County Ambulance
- Plain City Fire Department
- Plymouth Fire Department
- Rich County Ambulance
- Riverdale Fire Services
- Rocky Ridge EMS
- Rush Valley Fire Department
- San Juan EMS Services
- Santa-Clara Ivins Fire & Rescue
- Santaquin EMS
- Scipio Ambulance
- Sevier County Ambulance
- Smithfield Fire Department
- South Davis Metro Fire Agency
- South Weber City Fire Department
- St. George City Fire Department
- Stockton City Fire Department
- Thatcher-Penrose Fire Department
- Tooele City Fire Department
- Tremonton Fire & EMS
- Trenton Town Fire & Rescue
- Uintah Fire Suppression Special Service District
- Utah County Sheriff Search & Rescue Service
- Utah Navajo Health System
- Ute Tribe Ambulance Service
- Wasatch County Fire Protection Special Service District
- Washington County Fire Department
- Washington County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue
- Washington Terrace Fire Department
- Wayne County Ambulance
- Weber Fire District
- Wellsville First Responders
- Willard City Fire Department
- Woodland Hills Fire and EMS
MORE INFO
Learn more about why this program matters:
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at:
ems@utahcounties.org