Signs of Progress for Ambulance Service in Chickasaw County

After weeks of discussion, a move forward has been taken in the effort to establish a public ambulance service in Chickasaw County.

The County’s current contract with private provider, Jeremy McGrath and Chickasaw Ambulance Services, expires December 31st. The Board of Supervisors and the Chickasaw County Ambulance Council (CCAC) have been exploring a public ambulance but funding it has been a sticking point.

At their most recent joint meeting between the Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors and the CCAC, officials agreed to move from a collective 28E agreement between the cities represented on the CCAC to 28E agreements with each individual city.

That’s County Attorney David Laudner, who will draft separate 28Es for each of the county’s eight cities, with each agreement initially calling for a per capita contribution of $100 per resident, for a total of about $1.2 million to help pay for wages and general operating expenses. The County has pledged almost $1.7 million in County ARPA funds to pay for startup costs, including purchasing McGrath’s ambulances and equipment.   

Laudner posed the question: what happens if the venture loses significant money in its first year?

The County will also explore possible grants for additional funding. How a county-run ambulance service would be staffed is still to be determined.