Future of Ambulance Service in Charles City, Floyd County Still Up in the Air

The long-term future of ambulance service in Charles City and Floyd County is still unclear.

For the last three fiscal years, the City and the County have split the cost of subsidizing the service provided by AMR Ambulance, from a combined $150,000 the first year, up to $175,000 the second year, up to $200,000 this year. Their current contract with AMR is slated to end June 30th. 

Floyd County Supervisor Jim Jorgensen, also the chair of the Ambulance Commission, says if they sign a new three-year contract, their shared subsidy cost will more than double next fiscal year and go up by 3% each of the following years.

Jorgensen says officials have weighed starting their own ambulance service, but they may need to bite the bullet initially with a new contract with AMR to buy time to put a countywide service together.

Both the City and County are happy with AMR’s service, but the rising subsidy cost is getting harder to cover in their respective budgets.

Jorgensen adds that almost everyone knows someone who has needed ambulance service and it would be hard to imagine if that service became unavailable. Thus, officials will continue to explore all options.