Watauga Texas, New EMS Service

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Updated: Thursday, Sep. 21, 2000 at 01:01 CDT

Watauga readies ambulance system

By Steve Stein

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

WATAUGA -- Six paramedic/ firefighters were hired this week

for the city ambulance service, which will begin operating at 7 a.m. Sept. 30.

Residents will be charged a base rate of $350 to use the

service. Nonresidents will be charged $475.

The rates are comparable to those charged by the outgoing

Rural/Metro Medical Services, which has served the city since 1994, city

officials said. The city may be able to improve on Rural/Metro's " excellent "

response rate of about four minutes, Councilman Harry Jeffries said.

" We will have complete control over ambulance services and

will be able to dispatch ambulances immediately, " Jeffries said.

The City Council voted in June to take control after

Rural/Metro said it would not renew its contract with the city because of

financial losses. The contract expires at midnight Sept. 30.

The company also pulled out of Hurst.

Watauga paid $96,000 this year to Rural/Metro to provide

ambulance services for its 23,000 residents. The company billed individuals

additional costs for its services, which averaged about two runs a day, city

officials said.

The city will charge $5.50 for each mile the ambulance

travels, $20 if oxygen is provided, and $60 if an intravenous needle and an

electrocardiogram are provided. Disposable supplies and medications will be

billed at 25 percent above cost.

So, residents taken to North Hills Hospital in North Richland

Hills can expect to pay about $468.50 if they require oxygen, an intravenous

needle and an electrocardiogram. A nonresident would be charged an extra $125

for the same services.

" This recognizes that Watauga citizens are helping pay for

ambulance service through their tax dollars, " city Finance Director Carolyn

Marshall said.

The city has budgeted $360,920 for ambulance service for the

fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The cost includes the salaries of six

paramedic/firefighters, who will start at $32,000 annually.

It takes about 1,100 hours of training to be certified by the

state as a paramedic and 480 hours for firefighter certification, Deputy

Department of Public Safety Chief said.

The city paid $61,000 for a demo ambulance. A second

ambulance, which will be delivered in a few days, will cost about $90,000. It

will be financed over five years, city officials said.

" Each ambulance is a fully equipped mobile intensive care

unit, and we will provide medical care and transportation to citizens and

visitors of Watauga, " said.

Marshall estimates that fees from the service will provide

$192,500 for the upcoming fiscal year. That assumes a collection rate of about

60 percent to 65 percent, which officials in other cities say is a strong

collection rate, Jeffries said.

Jeffries said that Watauga's rates for services are comparable

to those of surrounding cities.

" We will have a better idea on costs a year from now, "

Jeffries said. " But I think we are going to be where we want to be. "

Steve Stein,

sstein@...

--------------------------------------------------------------

What it means to you

When the city takes over ambulance services Sept. 30, a

Watauga resident taken to North Hills Hospital in North Richland Hills can

expect to pay about $468.50 if they require oxygen, an intravenous needle and an

electrocardiogram. A nonresident will be charged an extra $125 for the same

services.

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