June 16, 2005

WRT fire department seeks own ambulances

       The White River Township Fire Department wants to start its own ambulance service.  Fire officials say existing service and response times from a private ambulance company are adequate, but they are planning for township growth and want to have two ambulances dedicated to White River Township as soon as 2008.  The change could increase fire department spending by $500,000 a year, or about 10 percent of the yearly budget.  Residents would continue paying for ambulance use, the same as they do now through the private company Rural/Metro Ambulance of Indianapolis, which currently provides service to White River Township.  But people can likely expect user fees that are less than current rates from the company, based on preliminary calculations and estimates from the fire department.  Fire officials are not sure if property taxes would go up, but they are counting on revenue from ambulance fees to offset the costs.  The possibility is being explored, and details such as costs and how the fire protection district would pay to run the service have not been worked out.  “This is something we want to do,” Deputy Chief Scott Cassin said. “We want to improve our service in such a way that we’d have an ambulance available more often.”

         Currently, White River has an annual contract with Rural/Metro to provide service to more than 36,000 residents. The company keeps an ambulance at the fire station on State Road 135 and Fairview Road but also serves other parts of Johnson County and on the south side of Marion County, Cassin said.  “They work a 24-hour shift there, but they’re not dedicated to our district in White River Township,” Cassin said. “If we had our own, they would be solely devoted to us, and we’d be able to send help to other communities if they need it.”  The need is coming based on increasing medical runs, said Lt. Mark Hart, who oversees the department’s emergency medical service.  “So many calls are EMS related; it’s becoming more trendy that fire departments start doing (ambulance service) themselves,” “Our service is good now, but we see the need coming.”

         About 65 percent of the 1,626 department calls last year were for medical situations, and the department sees a 3 percent increase every year, figures show.  Rural/Metro takes two or three White River Township residents to the hospital during medical emergencies each day, Hart said. Estimates show that number would have to increase to four people a day for the department to pay for the service, he said.  “We’re not there yet, but we will be,” Hart said.

         For years, Franklin was the only Johnson County community with its own ambulance service staffed with paramedics. Whiteland started providing ambulance service this year and now White River Township is considering the switch.  The possibility has been discussed for at least eight years but had not moved forward until recently, he said. Starting its own service is part of a strategic plan being developed, Cassin said. The plan also calls for hiring an emergency medical services chief in 2007.  Other private companies have expressed interest in providing service to the White River Township area, Cassin said. But the department has not been able to reach an agreement as good as the existing service, he said.  When the department’s ambulance service is started would depend on the number of emergency calls the fire department receives in coming years, Hart said.  “We’re hoping we can do this without raising taxes,” he said. “We’ll have to make sure we have enough revenue to pay for manpower.”  User fees would be similar to what Franklin charges residents likely would be used to pay for the service, Hart said.  In Franklin, residents pay $225 to $475 for an ambulance run, based on the level of medical services required.  Some money remains uncollected each year, but the city has collected enough money in the past four years to buy two ambulances, an aerial fire truck and airpacks for firefighters.  Rates for 2004 show that residents paid $330 to $485 for runs through Rural Metro, Cassin said. The company also charged $8.10 per mile for transporting patients to the hospital, he said.  “There’s definitely a way to create some new revenue for needed equipment,” Hart said. “That’s only a good thing.”  Hart estimates costs would be about $500,000 a year for needed ambulance supplies and six medics to staff the vehicles.

         Three paramedics and three emergency medical technicians would be needed, Hart said. The department currently has 18 full-time staff members, who are certified for both firefighting and medical runs, Hart said. He has not determined if part-time personnel, full-time firefighters or civilian paramedics and emergency medical technicians would be employed.  The department’s $4.9 million budget could be used to pay for salary and benefits for new staff members, which would add money to the budget, he said.  “We think this can be self-sufficient and not have to raise property taxes,” Hart said. “That’s our hope.”  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)

 
   
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