Firefighters propose ambulance service
A Boardman trustee says the plan to generate revenue is worth looking at.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN — Township firefighters propose starting an ambulance service to generate revenue.
“They keep talking about finding new revenue streams,” said Harry Wolfe, president of the International Association of Firefighters Local 1176, which represents township firefighters. The union believes an ambulance service would provide such a stream, he said.
Firefighters operate as first responders, a state level of certification allowing them to administer first aid, including performing CPR and using automatic external defibrillators to stabilize patients. When an ambulance arrives, paramedics take over and provide another level of care and transport to a hospital.
The township uses a rotation of three ambulance companies. The rotation aligns with firefighters’ 24-hour shifts. There is no cost to the township.
Twelve paramedics work on the fire department — although if layoffs contemplated by township officials occur, many of them would be affected.
The township would have to buy equipment, including an ambulance, but the proposal says firefighters aren’t asking for additional compensation to act as paramedics.
“We would like to be able to show you and the community that this is not about firefighters trying to make more money, but an attempt to provide a better service,” the proposal says.
It calls for firefighters providing 911 emergency services only with transport to local medical facilities.
Larry Moliterno, township trustee, said the firefighters’ proposal is worth considering along with other possible revenue generators.
Trustee Kathy Miller said that the only way it would work is if no firefighters are laid off. The majority of firefighters who are trained paramedics are those with less seniority. The township is considering laying off firefighters as well as employees from other departments because of a projected $3.4 million deficit by year’s end.
Firefighters suggest starting with one ambulance and four advanced life support, or ALS, fire engines. The ambulance would be staffed with two firefighters/EMTs or paramedics at the main fire station on U.S. Route 224 along with one ALS engine and one ALS ladder truck.
The two other stations, on Shields Road and South Avenue, would be staffed with one ALS engine each.
The union got proposals from four billing companies. Wolfe said that the idea is to have whatever company is selected to bill patients’ insurance companies. Township residents would not be billed for what their insurance company doesn’t pay.
Non-residents, however, would be billed for the cost not covered by insurance.
Their proposal puts the start-up costs at about $212,180 with net income, based upon a 75 percent collection rate, at about $391,778 in the first year and increasing in subsequent years. Wolfe stressed that the income projections are estimates dependent on the charges of the billing company and collections.
In 2006, Fire Chief James Dorman studied, at trustees’ request, the feasibility of a township ambulance service. That study concluded that communities providing ambulance service either use part-time personnel to run them or have the service funded mostly by tax levies. Boardman doesn’t have a fire levy or part-time firefighters. Its operations are paid for out of the general fund.
The chief’s study also found that based on input from other communities operating ambulance service, the township would need at least three ambulances because of the number transported to the hospital annually.
Fewer ambulances would mean some of the ambulance trips would have to be picked up by back-up agencies.
Two of the communities where firefighters run EMS calls are Howland and Liberty. Both communities have tax levies that fund fire department operations.
Howland also uses third-party billing, said Assistant Chief Tim Thomas, and residents aren’t charged for costs their insurance doesn’t cover. As with Boardman’s proposal, though, non-residents are billed for costs not paid by insurance.
Liberty Chief Michael Durkin said his department follows the same billing procedure.
But Wolfe said the latest proposal went further and looked at communities similar to Boardman in terms of people on shift and number of calls.