Uhrichsville firefighters recently presented council with a 40-page proposal on the costs and benefits of a fire-based EMS system. (Tusco TV file photo)

UHRICHSVILLE (Tusco TV) - Firefighters are hoping a detailed proposal will convince council to let them serve as the city's primary EMS provider. 

Chief Justin Edwards says their more than 30-page EMS proposal covers two different options: one for Uhrichsville only and the other for the Twin Cities and surrounding townships. He says both would provide 24/7 all-hazards coverage for what local communities would pay the area’s private ambulance provider to keep one ambulance stationed in the region. 

"That’s the whole point of the system is to use the revenue, resources, everything that’s already available per se just not to us directly to support the system," he says.

Smith Ambulance officials earlier this year requested a $22 per person subsidy to extend the company’s current contracts in the area. Dillon says those subsidies and per-call reimbursements under either of their coverage options would be enough to operate and staff two advanced life-support ambulances. 

"So basically the money that is asked to provide EMS service down we feel that with that money we could complete that. We’re already halfway there. With the money that is proposed, we can complete the system with an all-hazards, fire-based EMS system down here," he says. 

The Uhrichsville-only plan calls for the addition of two full-time and one part-time fighter paramedics while the regional plan includes three more full-timers. Edwards says both would increase staffing to the appropriate level to respond to both medical and fire-related emergencies.

"By law, I cannot send a fireman into a building if there’s two people there. Now if there’s a positive entrapment, we can break that law if there is a chance that person is still alive but by law, I cannot send a person into that building. There’s liability for the city. We have to wait until there’s four and meet the two-in, two-out rule," he says.

Firefighters presented their EMS proposal to council during Monday night’s Ambulance Committee Meeting. Council President Mark Haney says there will be another presentation for village and township officials before the communities come to a collective decision. 

"We will have another meeting with any questions, and we will also send invitations out to the townships and the villages to have them at that meeting and see where they stand on it because I believe council and I think, we believe it’s a joint effort. It’s going to have to be all or none," he says.

In the meantime, Smith has agreed to extend the city’s current EMS contract through January and on a month-to-month basis after that. Haney says the company has also requested a meeting to present a new proposal. 

TUSCO TV