NE Colorado RETAC

03/07/2026

The NCRETAC Injury Prevention Committee is making a difference — and this is a perfect example of why.

Committee member Greg Colton and the UCHealth EMS team have conducted over 3,550 free prenatal seatbelt checks across Larimer and Weld counties, and their data shows it works: 86% of participants continue wearing their seatbelt correctly afterward, compared to just 14% who receive materials alone.

Only 12% of pregnant drivers buckle up correctly. Free checks, infant CPR classes, and car seat installation help are available now — call Greg directly at 970-286-1857.

This is our region doing injury prevention right👏

🔗 https://www.uchealth.org/today/free-seatbelt-checks-buckle-up-correctly-during-pregnancy/

Seatbelts are worn incorrectly 77% of the time by pregnant women, but UCHealth EMS is on a mission to change that with free seatbelt checks.

03/06/2026

KUNC 91.5fm is covering the legislative work that could reshape EMS funding in Colorado — and it’s worth your attention.

HB26-1069 would expand Medicaid and insurance reimbursement for EMS to include treatment in place, behavioral health transports, and telehealth-assisted calls. The current model — pay only for transport to an ER — has been a structural funding problem for decades. This bill addresses it directly.

Nonpartisan fiscal analysts project the measure saves Colorado $2.1 million in its first year and $4.9 million annually thereafter — real numbers in a year when the state is managing a billion-dollar budget deficit.

HB26-1238 provides the statutory foundation. HB26-1069 provides the funding mechanism. Together, they do what the EMS community has needed for a long time.

Both bills passed committee unanimously.
🔗 https://www.kunc.org/politics/2026-03-04/ambulance-services-could-get-funding-boost-while-saving-the-state-millions-under-new-bill

The measure would expand the treatment options EMS agencies can bill for and lower state health care spending by reducing emergency room visits.

03/04/2026

Grateful to Representative Dusty A Johnson and Representative Meghan Lukens for their leadership on HB26-1283 and their commitment to strengthening Colorado’s emergency medical services system.

Our Executive Director, Nick Nudell, had the privilege of testifying in support of the bill on behalf of the RETACs, EMSAC - Emergency Medical Services Association of Colorado, and the Colorado Chapter of National Association of EMS Physiciansr along with his colleagues, all affirming support. The bill advanced unanimously and with enthusiastic support out of committee and now heads to the full House.



Colorado’s EMS system depends on thoughtful policy, strong partnerships, and legislators willing to engage with the realities facing providers and communities across the state. We appreciate the leadership shown here.

02/21/2026

Today we paid our respects to a deeply loved and respected husband, grandfather, friend, colleague, and community member.

In Memoriam – Jerry Morris
Lifetime Achievement Award

Today, we recognize a lifetime of service — and we do so with both gratitude and a heavy heart.

Jerry Morris devoted decades to Emergency Medical Services in Northeast Colorado. As a longtime member of Washington County EMS, Jerry exemplified steady leadership, clinical excellence, and an unwavering commitment to his community. He was the kind of provider who simply showed up — again and again — not for recognition, but because his neighbors needed him.

Jerry earned his EMT-Intermediate certification in 2002 through Morgan Community College and continued to serve with distinction for many years. He represented the very best of rural volunteer EMS: dependable, compassionate, and deeply committed to doing the job well.

Beyond patient care, Jerry also served as an unpaid board member for NCRETAC, ensuring that rural and volunteer voices were heard in regional conversations. He understood that strong systems are built not only in ambulances and emergency rooms, but also in meeting rooms, policy discussions, and collaborative partnerships.

Jerry was selected as the inaugural recipient of our Lifetime Achievement Award — a recognition of sustained, exceptional service and lasting impact on the regional EMS system. Though he is no longer with us, his influence remains woven into the agencies, colleagues, and communities he supported.

On behalf of NCRETAC and the entire regional EMS and trauma system, we honor Jerry Morris — for his service, his leadership, and the example he leaves for all of us.

02/20/2026

https://www.journal-advocate.com/2026/02/19/sterling-regional-medcenter-nurse-honored-with-regional-award/

A local nurse recently received some well deserved recognition. The Northeast Colorado Regional EMS and Trauma Advisory Council presented Jamie Groshans, an RN at Sterling Regional MedCenter, with …

02/19/2026

As part of our continued advocacy and system engagement efforts, NCRETAC Executive Director Nick Nudell maintains an active clinical role as a part-time paramedic with UCHealth EMS.

Recently, he was partnered with EMT Jeanette and joined by Larimer County GovernmentCommissioner Shadduck-McNally for a field ride-along. This provided a meaningful opportunity to showcase the realities of our EMS system firsthand — including workforce demands, rural response dynamics, and the operational complexity behind every call.

Having a local elected official and influential statewide leader observe patient care in real time creates a deeper understanding than any policy briefing ever could. The conversations were thoughtful, the calls were instructive, and the experience reinforced why continued advocacy for sustainable EMS systems remains essential.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1ABZnhL7m2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/19/2026

🏛️ Advocacy in Action for Rural EMS

Our sustained advocacy at NCRETAC is producing meaningful results.

With the introduction of HB26-1238 (https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1238), we are seeing strong legislative engagement that reflects the needs of Northeast Colorado’s rural EMS and trauma systems. Policy change does not happen by accident. It happens through data, relationships, persistence, and unified regional messaging.

From our nine-county NCRETAC region — Jackson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, and Yuma — we are especially grateful for the legislators who directly represent our communities and are sponsoring this bill:

House Sponsors Representing NCRETAC Counties
• Representative Dusty A Johnson (Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, Yuma)
• Representative Lori Garcia Sander (Weld County)
• Representative Kenny Nguyen (Weld County)

Senate Sponsor Representing NCRETAC Counties
• Senator Rob Woodward (Larimer County)

Their leadership signals recognition that rural EMS sustainability, workforce stability, and trauma system resilience are not local issues alone. They are statewide priorities.

This bill reflects years of work by county commissioners, EMS leaders, hospitals, medical directors, and frontline clinicians across our region. We are committed to continuing collaboration as HB26-1238 moves forward.

Resilient systems are not accidental. They are designed, funded, and governed intentionally.

02/19/2026

Yesterday was a special day for Northeast Colorado EMS.

NCRETAC held our First Annual EMS & Trauma Awards Ceremony, recognizing the individuals and agencies who go above and beyond to serve our communities.

These awards represent more than titles. They reflect years of dedication, long nights, missed holidays, steady leadership, and an unwavering commitment to caring for our neighbors.

🕊 We honored Jerry Morris with our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Jerry devoted decades to rural EMS in Washington County and also served as a volunteer NCRETAC board member. Although he passed before he could receive this recognition in person, his colleagues accepted the award on his behalf. We paused for a moment of silence to honor his service and his legacy.

Congratulations to our 2026 award recipients:

🚑 Jim Rizor – ALS EMS Professional of the Year
🚑 Brophy – BLS EMS Professional of the Year
🏥 Thompson Valley EMS – EMS Agency of the Year
🎓 Skala (Aims Community College) – EMS Instructor of the Year
👩‍⚕️ Josh (City of Yuma Ambulance Service) – EMS Leader of the Year
👩‍⚕️ Keefer (UCHealth) – Registered Nurse of the Year
🩺 . Matthew Nowland ( District Hospital) – Trauma Medical Director of the Year
🏥 Groshans (Banner Health) – Trauma Program Manager of the Year

Rural emergency care is built on teamwork, professionalism, and heart. We are proud to serve alongside these outstanding professionals.

Please join us in congratulating this year’s honorees and thanking them for everything they do for Northeast Colorado.


Thank you, Ward, for the photos!

02/13/2026

We are deeply saddened to share that our Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and longtime Northeast Colorado EMT-Intermediate, Jerry Morris, has passed away after a courageous fight with cancer.

Jerry’s name became synonymous with dedication in rural EMS.

He earned his EMT-Intermediate in 2002 through Morgan Community College and never stopped learning. He attended conferences, continuing education, and regional trainings whenever possible, remaining committed to clinical excellence throughout his career.

From his home in Last Chance, Colorado, Jerry provided ALS care to a region that might otherwise wait 45 minutes or more for an ALS ambulance from Akron or Brush. He answered a remarkable percentage of calls in his area and continued responding to his community’s needs until he physically could not.

Patients and colleagues described him as kind, steady, and reassuring. His clinical skills remained sharp, and his judgment was sound. He recognized when a higher level of care was needed and acted decisively, always placing patients first.

Jerry also served as an unpaid board member for NCRETAC for many years, where he provided a steady and authentic voice for rural volunteer providers dedicated to serving their communities. He understood the realities of frontier EMS and ensured those perspectives were represented in regional conversations.

Even after his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, Jerry remained devoted to EMS. He mentored newer EMTs and firefighters, supported training efforts, and stayed engaged in service for as long as he was able.

Jerry demonstrated a heart of dedication and clinical excellence that surpassed most providers in our area. His commitment set a standard that will not be easily matched.

Northeast Colorado is better because Jerry served here.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family, his department - Washington County Ambulance Service, and the many colleagues and patients whose lives he touched. His legacy lives on in the providers he taught and the communities he protected.

02/12/2026

We are proud to celebrate an important step forward for North Park School District and Jackson County.

Marcie Clendenen, School/County Nurse, has officially earned her certification to teach Stop The Bleed® — and she has already begun training 9th and 10th grade students. She will continue offering the course to upperclassmen and middle school students throughout February.

This matters deeply in a frontier community with no hospital. When severe bleeding occurs, survival depends on what happens in the first few minutes. In rural and frontier areas, empowering citizens with bleeding control skills is one of the most effective ways to improve outcomes from massive hemorrhage.

Jackson County Public Health secured instructor kits through a grant supported by RETAC, ensuring this lifesaving training could be delivered locally.

This is what regional partnership looks like: local leadership, public health collaboration, and students learning how to save lives.

Well done, North Park.

02/06/2026

🚑 Important National Update for All EMS Agencies 🚑

The U.S. DEA has finalized a new federal rule that directly affects how EMS agencies across the country store, carry, administer, and restock controlled medications under the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act (PPAEMA).

This is not optional! If your agency carries controlled substances, this rule applies to you.

NCRETAC has published a plain-English summary explaining:
• What changed
• What did not change clinically
• The different compliance pathways for EMS agencies
• Practical next steps agencies should take before March 9, 2026

Our goal is to help EMS leaders, medical directors, and agencies understand this rule clearly and avoid unnecessary compliance risk.

🔗 Read the full overview here:
https://ncretac.org/dea-rule-ems-controlled-substances-ppaema/ #

Please share this with your colleagues, leadership teams, and medical directors. While this guidance comes from our work at NCRETAC, the information is national in scope and intended to support EMS agencies everywhere.

A clear, plain-English guide to the new DEA rule under PPAEMA. Covers EMS DEA registration, storage, restocking, and compliance steps before March 9, 2026.