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Ambulance Privatization (Bad Idea)

If you appreciate the current level of service provided by the Sedona Fire District for Emergency Medical Services, now would be a very good time to speak up. One of the Board Members, Charles Christensen, on his own, without the Fire Chief’s knowledge, put a Public Notice in the Sedona Red Rock News requesting bids from private ambulance companies to replace the medical services SFD has provided its community for 50 years. This was an unethical action, and indicates a level of integrity that most citizens do not want in elected representatives.

Privatization may sound like it would save taxpayer dollars, but do not believe it. SFD would lose the $1.6 million (plus) it generates annually for ambulance billing. Residents of SFD who use an ambulance are not directly billed for those services; insurance companies are, but if a SFD resident does not have insurance or inadequate insurance, they WILL NOT BE CHARGED for the high-quality EMS service provided. Private for-profit companies will not offer this; they will bill directly and if a resident cannot pay (up to $1,200 per ambulance transport), they will be handed over to a collection agency. Many of SFD’s citizens are older, on fixed incomes, and ill, they use ambulance services multiple times per year. They will be on their own…

Mr. Christensen’s request for bids from private ambulance companies specified for two ambulances to serve the entire district (Oak Creek Canyon, Uptown, West Sedona, Red Rock Loop Road area, and the Village of Oak Creek – a total service area of over 200 square miles). He also stated that a 15 minute response time would be acceptable for Advanced Life Support requests (such as for strokes and heart attacks). Currently, most SFD ambulance calls are responded to in an average of six to seven minutes. A few minutes more may not sound like a long time, but it could mean the difference between life and death. Our current Board Members have said repeatedly they do not want a cut in the level of services SFD provides, but if they choose to go with a private ambulance company, THAT IS A CUT! Requests for service for three (or more) ambulances happen all the time, even though SFD has three ambulances 24/7 and one ambulance on 12-hour shifts during peak times. In fact, last year, all three full-time ambulances were needed at the same time on nearly 200 occasions!!! Currently SFD has back-up ambulances that can be staffed by firefighter/medics from engine companies, as needed. Two ambulances are not enough; you do not want to be the one having a heart attack and waiting for that third ambulance…

Sedona Fire District has an excellent Executive Management Team. These are individuals of the highest integrity and professionalism with many years of experience in the fire service; they know what is needed to provide the best quality service, while always keeping the taxpayer in mind. This staff cut the budget by $2 million this year, and the tax rate is the lowest it has been for many years. The “per person” figures you may have heard being too high are misleading and, of course, aimed at getting emotional responses. The way this per capita figure was “conjured” was by taking the entire budget – which includes all the commercial property in SFD (huge resorts, etc.) that pay higher taxes than individuals – and dividing it by 20,000 residents. It does not account for the millions of visitors for which SFD must also be prepared to help. It truly is bogus. This is the fact: Camp Verde, Montezuma-Rimrock and Verde Valley residents pay higher fire district taxes than Sedona and they do not have nearly the EMS service SFD offers.

Please keep in mind, SFD is a fire district and it is not supported by other municipal departments; it cannot be compared to cities such as Flagstaff. If you add in all the other services the Flagstaff Fire Department receives from the City of Flagstaff, it is much higher than the SFD budget.

This is not about jobs being lost (the “gravy train” as they were recently referred), but that would happen, even though SFD salaries are in the median range for comparable fire districts. Private ambulance companies are all about profits, and if they have to cut corners to do so, they will. There’s plenty of information about this on the news and the internet.

You can help! Please come to a SFD Fire Board meeting and tell them you don’t want private ambulance service. If you can’t, then, tell a neighbor or friend, and ask them to come; or, send an e-mail to Board@SedonaFire.org , info@sedonafire.org;  or make a phone call to SFD at
282-6800. Speak up now or it could all be gone by a simple motion and three votes!  Editor’s note: The Fire Chief will be at the Celebration of Sedona 2010 prior to the SFD Fire Board meeting.  The Celebration of Sedona event is at Los Abrigados Resort, May 24 and begins at 4:30 PM.  The Celebration of Sedona 2010 is a city fun event with vendor displays and exhibits, live music and food.  Tickets are available at Creekside.  Public is welcome.  Follow the signs at Los Abrigados!

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