Some Central Valley residents could save thousands as program cuts ambulance costs

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - An ambulance thrust tin easy outgo thousands of dollars, but successful 3 vale cities, there’s a programme that could chopped that terms down to little than $100.

For conscionable $75 a year, residents successful Dinuba, Kingsburg and Selma tin debar paying thousands for an ambulance thrust done the Tri-County Fire EMS program.

The yearly outgo covers anyone surviving wrong a paying member’s household if an exigency were to hap and they had to beryllium rushed to the infirmary by ambulance.

Selma Fire Chief Jordan Websters says he’s seen radical crook distant exigency services due to the fact that they were disquieted astir a bill.

“You often spot young families oregon the aged that are connected precise choky budgets oregon person fixed incomes; they cognize what their monthly payments are for everything, and they can’t needfully spend further bills. So they don’t telephone 911 close away, adjacent erstwhile they should.” Webster said.

The programme has been astir since the mid-2000s, but Chief Webster says enrollment has dropped implicit the years portion the fig of calls continues to grow.

“Ambulance bills tally crossed our desk. We tally 5,500 ambulance calls a year, bills scope from $2,500 to $4,000, truthful it’s a large expense.” Webster said.

He added that the FireMed strategy volition not impact however units respond to calls, lone however to screen the outgo of the ride.

“When idiosyncratic calls 911, the closest ambulance to them is the 1 that’s going to respond,” helium said.

To motion up for the FireMed system, click here.