My service is being pressured by the town

[HFD EMS]

Our local ems service that i serve on right now is strictly volunteer EMTs and First Responders and we charge a flat rate of 300 dollars for each run and it keeps us afloat and we have a nice medtec Type 3 ambulance with a new pediatric care equipment and things break down and the money has to come from so where so there is definitely a plus to charging a flat rate and our EMT numbers are down however but that is because people are lazy and dont understand the important of an ambulance!!!:glare:

 

[rescuecpt]

I dont think you guys understand completely. We have the funds for a new ambulance, and just spent 3500 on supplies and equipment. Our budget is not suffering at all. We have a squad that is actually too big. We have never been unable to get a crew together, and often times the problem is more that we have too many EMTs, not vice versa. Our education, and continuing education is donated to us by AMR. The way things are now offers so many people a great way to help out the community, and we get very few complaints, except for those of a few selectmen.

Billing is not an option for our service. At least not one we're willing to choose.

My department runs 3,200 - 3,600 calls a year. We don't bill. Our fund drive brings in around $100,000 a year from the 10,000 residents and couple hundred businesses in our district. We don't want to bill, although our county has been talking about billing for BS calls (suitcase packed, fully dressed, on their way to a doctor's appointment at the hospital). We don't have too many of those, so we're not really for it, but I know other departments in the county have a lot of them.

We provide this PROFESSIONAL service to our community for free, out of the goodness of our hearts. Right now, billing is not something we are willing to do - I hear you Imagine and I would stick to your guns. Good luck. Also, remind the selectmen that they are, oh, what's that word... SELECTED...