South Salt Lake to self-provide ambulance service

SOUTH SALT LAKE — After six years of infighting and thousands of dollars spent on studies, the South Salt Lake City Council is moving forward with providing ambulance service to city residents.

The council's 4-3 decision Wednesday to self-provide ambulance service brings it in line with municipalities across the valley, including cities and townships served by the Unified Fire Authority.

Having ambulances under the same roof as paramedics and firefighters allows for better and quicker care, said UFA Capt. Clint Smith.

"Now we are the transport company so we can get on scene (and) we can make a quick determination of whether this patient needs to be transported," Smith explained. "We can immediately move into that phase. ... By doing so, we save some very valuable time for patients."

UFA started ambulance service for Magna, Kearns, Taylorsville and Copperton in July. West Valley City already self-provides ambulance service.

This July, UFA will implement ambulance service for its east-side communities: Millcreek, Olympus Cove, Holladay and Cottonwood Heights.

So far, both calls for service and revenue receipts are higher than projected for UFA, Smith said. But the fire captain recognizes it will take at least two years before stable collection rates can be determined.

South Salt Lake will roll out its own ambulances Aug.1. The city already has the proper licensing in place and will start using new technologies immediately, said Fire Chief Steve Foote.

Gold Cross, which currently provides the service, supports South Salt Lake's move. Emergency care is no longer a major pillar of the Gold Cross business and isn't a big moneymaker, according to spokesman Chris DeLaMare.

The $752,000 for three ambulances will come from the South Salt Lake's rainy-day fund. From there, the service will be funded by patients, insurance and federal Medicaid/Medicare payments. Funds for six new paramedics will be paid in the 2009-10 budget year. The source of that money has yet to be determined.

Because of collection rates near 50 percent, South Salt Lake finance director Kyle Kershaw says the city will be lucky if it ever reaches a break-even point on cost.

Councilmember Boyd Marshall agreed that providing ambulances will not be a revenue source.