Fredonia ground ambulance services restored temporarily after emergency town meeting

The Fredonia Town Council met for an emer­gency meeting in the council chambers at the Fredonia Town Offices on Thursday, June 3, 2025. Council member Kenny Johnson, Vice-Mayor Cecil Scott and Mayor Don John­son were in attendance, as were Town Clerk Tracy Stumpf and Deputy Town Clerk Brittany Jackson. Mayor Johnson called the meeting to order at 1 p.m.

Left to right:

• Photo by Emily Bentley.

• Photo via Kane County Hospital EMS.

At issue was a decision just before the holiday weekend by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to deny Kane County Hospital’s application for a Certificate of Necessity (CON), which is required for any out of state ambulance provider operating in Arizona. The state also informed Kane County Hospital that any medical response by Kane EMS to locations in Ari­zona would therefore be considered illegal and be prosecuted. Up until this point, Kane County EMS had been providing ambu­lance services to Fredonia and surrounding areas for over 40 years.

More than 150 people crowded the Fredonia Town Council meeting space, the foyer outside and overflowed outdoors onto the walkway, includ­ing representatives from Fredonia Police and Fire, Kanab City, Kanab Police and Fire, Kane County, Kane County Sheriff, the Kaibab Band of Paiutes, Colorado City Police and Fire, Coconino County and the National Park Service.

Residents vigorously expressed their concern about the effect of the state’s prohibition on medi­cal services from Kane County EMS, which would not only impact on emer­gency medical services, but medical support for police, firefighters and backcoun­try rescuers responding to calls across the region.

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Represen­tative for District 5 Lena Fowler and Fredonia May­or Don Johnson thanked the representatives of lo­cal, state and federal agen­cies for their willingness to stand ready to provide what coverage they could over the holiday week­end. Fowler and Johnson also stated they would be looking into possible short-term solutions that would allow Kane County EMS to respond in the area. Air ambulance service has not been affected.

On the morning of July 4, Fredonia Mayor Don John­son signed a Declaration of Local Emergency “…to ensure proper emergency medical services are pro­vided to the citizens of the Town of Fredonia, and pur­suant to A.R.S. 26-31 l(B) (3) … call on all regular or auxiliary law enforcement agencies and organiza­tions within or without the Town of Fredonia for assis­tance, regardless of state of origin, including but not limited to any agency or organization within or contracted by the City of Kanab, Kane County or Kane County Hospital.” The declaration goes on to state, “…this Declara­tion of Local Emergency shall remain in effect until such time as the Mayor of Fredonia determines that the health, safety and lives of the citizens of the Town of Fredonia are no longer endangered.”

Later, state and county officials confirmed that ground ambulance services from Colorado City will be dispatched to Fredonia in emergencies as needed. ADHS also clarified that Kane County EMS may respond to emergencies in Fredonia and the region when requested by law enforcement, such as in the case of major traffic accidents.

Both solutions are tem­porary but provide time for Kane EMS to reapply for the Certificate of Need (CON) required to legally operate in Arizona. An emergency CON can also be applied for.

This is a developing story. The Southern Utah News will report on updates or changes as they occur.