St. Croix EMS needs more money

Patrick H.
03/09/2010 11:14 AM

Would it make sense to get addtional funding from 'room tax' since some of the calls may be related to tourism? Is there a cap on charges?

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Richard O.
Hudson, WI     03/08/2010 10:41 AM

As one of the few surviving second generation members of what was once called the Hudson Ambulance Service, I can only say that what we started has become so much more than even we ever imagined. Just last January I had to use the service for a trip to the hospital. The upgrading of skills and equipment since those years in the 70's when I was an EMT for the than Hudson Ambulance Service provides a service that makes me feel very humble. It all started with a GMC Carry All and a tool box full of bandages and tape and now is almost better equipped than a hospital of our generation, not to mention the new skills used in rescues from water and heights. Yes indeed the financial needs are still pinching the organization and the City still struggles with how to integrate the Service into the local government, but we are getting so much more than we once did. You will find. as many of you grow to my age, that you get what you pay for. That is not to say that anyone should just throw money into something without proper planning and management.

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Jenny Z.
Minneapolis, MN     03/07/2010 6:45 PM

This article title is very direct!

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Just Me A.
Hudson, WI     03/06/2010 9:28 PM

Wow Ken for claiming to know you sure didn't say anything!

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Mark S.
Hudson, WI     03/06/2010 6:28 PM

It's time the city got out of the ambulance business, and turn it over to people who can run it professionally. Move the rescue operations under the fire dept. umbrella, where it should be.

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Mark K.
Baldwin, WI     03/06/2010 3:35 PM

I was in the business for nearly three decades. It's almost humorous to hear the same problems that have been discussed since the 1970's being discussed today like they're something new and unique. From experience, the quickest way to destroy the morale of the EMS staff is to start talking about privatizing the department, pawning it off to a 3rd-party management company, and selling it outright.

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not my real name y.
Hudson, WI     03/05/2010 7:34 PM

I you look you'll notice that most large ambulance companies are part of a larger "health system" i.e. allina and healtheast. These systems include hospitals that these ambulance services bring their patients to. That's where the profit is. It is my understanding that these services compete for patient intake and not ambulance profits.

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no more f.
03/05/2010 3:45 PM

Ken, being an insider, do you believe the service has been managed properly? It seems private companies run allot of ambulance services and make money, why is it this one loses so much money AND is supported by taxes? As an elected supervisor, I am sure you want to ensure the money collected from the citizens and given to an organization are used properly and are not increased because of mismanagment. I don't think anyone here has said it is a poor service or that the EMT's are overpaid, where does all the money go?

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Patrick H.
03/05/2010 2:52 PM

Ken, you answered some questions for me. However one not in the know reads the newspaper article and has questions about things. I was not knocking your service.

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ken k.
03/05/2010 2:37 PM

I am an insider in more than one way. Why is fire with 300+/- fire calls county wide recieve the amount they do EMS county wide did about 4000. why is law enforcement paid what they get. why is the dispatch paid what they get? the average per hour for EMT Basics in this county is about 5 dollars, Intermediates a little more and Paramedics about 15. I provided 3000 hours county and recieved about 28k. an ambulance to purchase is about 150k no matter what level. a cardiac monitor is about 20k, mechanical CPR devices are about 20k. In Hudson area the per capata is 12.50 per year. (about 2 packs of cigaretts, two people at Mc Donalds, a case of beer, two twelves of soda, one person to a movie, no HBO for a month) in Baldwin it is less and in New Richmond even less. up front support is so it will be available. It costs about 10k for a paramedic class, EMT basic is about $500 and you need to complete it before Paramedic. re embursment is very minimal. nation wide private ambulances are walking in and handing the keys to the communites monthly. If you that feel that you know how to operate emergency services I would be glad to hear from you. If you have a legal method to get more funds from somewhere bring it forward as an elected supervisor I would be glad to hear.

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