Guest guest Posted September 21, 2000 Report Share Posted September 21, 2000 Star-Telegram.Com | Local News CURRENT UPDATES ARCHIVES METROPLEX NEWS: • FORT WORTH • ARLINGTON • NE TARRANT • HOMETOWN STAR TEXAS NEWS AP NATIONAL NEWS AP WORLD NEWS GOVERNMENT NEWS • ELECTION 2000 • RESOURCES TECH NEWS NEWS AUDIO WEATHER ROAD WARRIOR LA ESTRELLA TARRANT BUSINESS CAREERS STOCKS FUTURES COMMODITIES ECONOMIC UPDATE MORTGAGE RATES SCORES & STATS FAN CENTRAL: • COWBOYS • HIGH SCHOOLS • COLLEGES • MAVERICKS • BRAHMAS • STARS • RANGERS LOCAL GOLF THE SPORTS ZONE RECREATIONAL RODEO THE LINE LIFESTYLE WEDDINGS HEALTH NEWS NETROPLEX TRAVEL FAMILY DAY PUZZLES & GAMES FOOD HOME & GARDEN JUST GO & STARTIME • ENTERTAINMENT • TV LISTINGS • BOOKS • COMICS • DINING • HOROSCOPES • SOAP OPERA NEWS • PERSONALS LOTTERY TODAY IN HISTORY RELIGION COLUMNISTS EDITORIALS ENDORSEMENTS LETTERS CHEERS & JEERS CYBER-COLUMNISTS CALENDAR CLUBS & ORGS GARAGE SALES VIRTUAL TEXAN SPELLING BEE USER'S GUIDE BIRTHS WEDDINGS OBITUARIES FIND US NEWS STAFF ONLINE STAFF ADVERTISING CONSUMER RESOURCE E-CARDS EVENTS HOMEPAGES JOBS MAPS/DIRECTIONS MARKETPLACE N.I.E. NEW HOME NETWORK NEWSLETTER PHOTOSALES PRESS PASS START WITH US! SYSTEM STATUS DFW.COM COMMUNICATOR INTERNET EXPLORER REALPLAYER G2 VIEWING TIPS 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. Send this page to a friend From:To: For home delivery of the Star-Telegram, dial (817) DEL-IVER. © 2000 Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas -- Terms and Conditions Serving the online community since 1982! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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