ELLENSBURG — About half the 911 calls for an ambulance for an alcohol or drug overdose in the Ellensburg area result in no one going to a hospital. And Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue doesn’t get paid.
The fire district depends on ambulance fees for 70 percent of its emergency medical services budget.
The Daily Record reported that the district is proposing a $250 dollar fee when an ambulance is called to a drug or alcohol situation in which no one is transported.
Deputy Chief Rich Elliott said a good share of the no-transport calls come from Central Washington University and law enforcement. He said the department may work with the university and police to make better decisions about when to call an ambulance.
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