Bucyrus FD says it’s ready to handle more ambulance runs

By Kimberly Gasuras
CCN Reporter

The Bucyrus Fire Department has been the back-up service to Life Support Team EMS for several years and is prepared to take on more runs, if necessary.

According to Chad Schwemley, who became the acting fire chief 11 months ago when fire chief Jay Keller went on medical leave, the department is very similar to the Galion Fire Department that has operated its own ambulance service for the past decade.

“The Galion Fire Department’s budget for last year was $1.911 million and our budget was $1.741 million,” Schwemley said. “Galion has money set aside out of their budget for a vehicle they are paying on.”

Schwemley said that Galion has a staff of 17, which includes a full-time inspector that also does runs, while his department has 16 firefighters, including Keller, with a part-time inspector.

Out of the 16 firefighters in Bucyrus, Schwemley said seven are paramedics and the rest are licensed as Emergency Medical Technicians.

“Everyone’s certifications are current,” Schwemley said.

Schwemley said when updated trainings are needed the city pays for them. The department has to renew their drug license for meds kept on their squad every three years.

The department maintains at least three firefighters on staff per shift, but tries to maintain at least four. More are paged in when needed.

“Also, as of the 2010 census, Galion had 10,503 residents and Polk Township, that the Galion Fire Department also serves, was 2,132, for a total of 12,635 residents,” Schwemley said. “Bucyrus had a population of 12,362, so the two areas are very comparable.”

Schwemley said his department could handle more runs if the city leaves the Central Joint Ambulance District and contracts with an ambulance service on its own.

“We can handle more runs,” Schwemley said “The current ambulance service provider has three ambulances, two that are dedicated to 911 runs, and we have one squad. If the city goes with their own company, we are just short one fully equipped squad, which would cost around $200,000.”

Bucyrus Mayor Jeff Reser has said that he wants the city to contract with a company without being part of the ambulance district, while a report by Bucyrus City Council member Kevin Myers recommends that the city should stay with the district, for now.

“Our proposal is to put an EMS contract out to bid for the city in 2018,” Reser said. “The length of the contract is to be discussed and specifications would be put into the bid packet that would allow the fire department to be the backup 911 ambulance for the city.”

In a report Reser presented last week to the committee, he said the power as a member of the CJAD is skewed against city residents.

“We represent half the population in the ambulance district, but have just one vote out of 16,” Reser said. “We bring in a majority of the revenue, but would have to bear nearly 50 percent of any subsidy that may be agreed upon by the members, which, in effect, becomes another tax on our residents.”

Reser cited economic changes in the city during the past 15 years as the reason the city has to look at other options other than being part of the ambulance district.

“We have seen a 14-percent drop in our population and our population is aging, so our tax base has been reduced,” Reser said. “The state has chosen to implement a tax policy that has reduced our general fund revenue by approximately $500,000 per year. This loss in revenue has to be made up somehow, either in cutting staff, increasing revenue by taxation or generating revenue on our own.”

Reser said estimated revenues and expenses on a three-year contract with 200 runs per year at $280 per run based on reports from the city of Galion that already operates its own ambulance service, shows a total of $168,000 in revenue.

Schwemley agrees with Reser.

“We should not stay with the district,” Schwemley said.

Schwemley said there is one glaring difference between the Galion and Bucyrus fire departments.

“Galion has an ISO (Insurance Service Office) rating of three while our rating is only a five,” Schwemley said. “This rating can affect insurance rates for homeowners and can have an effect on businesses that are considering coming to the city.”

When it comes to billing for emergency medical services, Reser has said that city residents will continue to be soft-billed, which means that will receive one bill, but if they don’t pay, the bill will be written off. Non-city residents will be hard-billed, which means they will continue to receive bills until they pay or it is sent to a collection agency.

“We use Medicount for our billing services,” Schwemley said.

Schwemley said that the safety levy that was passed a few years ago by city residents does not fund the fire and police departments the same way.

“People think it is split 50/50 but it’s not. We do not receive as much funding as the police department,” Schwemley said.

Schwemley said he is prepared to file for grant monies that may be used towards items the department will need to do more runs, such as the additional squad.

“I am just waiting to see what happens on Tuesday,” Schwemley said.

Bucyrus City Council will vote during its regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Bucyrus City Hall to determine if the city stays with the Central Joint Ambulance District or begins the bidding process to secure an ambulance service on its own.