The owner of a private ambulance service says he has the answer to Klamath County Fire District #1’s budget woes…but as NBC2’s Lyle Ahrens reports, the district isn’t ready to stop transporting patients…
Ed Langerveld of ‘Emergency Airlift’ says it’s time for private ambulance service in Klamath County…
“Well, because of the obvious self-admitted financial woes of the fire district.”
Fire District #1 declared they were in a ‘fiscal emergency’ at a meeting last Saturday…but Fire District Operations Chief John Spradley says getting out of the ambulance business could create even bigger problems…
“We’d stand to lose approximately 1.3 to a million and a half in revenue annually, and that would equate to firefighters that we’d no longer be able to employ – upwards of about 12 positions.”
Langerveld stresses that his company relies on user fees rather than taxpayer dollars…and he claims that he can save the district money…
“If they choose to shed what’s causing them the financial deficit, which is the ground ambulance.”
Spradley notes that there’s also a legal contract involved…
“Currently,Fire District #1has the ASA (Ambulance Service Area) contract with Klamath County through June 30th of 2016. And we are prepared to provide that service through that time frame.”
Fire District #1 must also trim 300 thousand dollars from their budget between now and the end of June.
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.