OCR Text |
Show South Davis Ambulance To Continue Some Some Free Services By MARK D. MICKKLSKN WEST BOUNTIFUL The South Davis Ambulance Association will continue con-tinue to provide jail inmates and county and municipal employees with free ambulance service, according to South Davis Fire Chief Brent Argyle. THE POLICY has been in effect ever since the South Davis Fire Department and Ambulance Association was under county jurisdiction. Now that the department is being purchased by Woods Cross. West Bountiful and Centerville. there has been some concern as to whether or not prisoners prison-ers should be transported free of charge. Chief Argyle. speaking at a late March SDFD board meeting, told representatives of the cities and county that the ambulance association transports an average of two to three jail inmates each week. ALTHOUGH the policy has been in effect for years. Chief Argyle questioned whether or not the county "owes" the prisoners pris-oners any free services. The by-laws of the new fire district separate sepa-rate the ambulance service from the fire department, but according to Davis County Com. Harry B. Gerlach. the county must pick up the costs if jail inmates are injured or take ill while incarcerated. CHIEF ARGYLE, who originally questioned ques-tioned the prisoner service, told Com. Gerlach Ger-lach that the fire district didn't want to appear "vindictive" about cutting ambulance ambu-lance transport. "We just felt that most of the people in the jail are there on a short-term basis." IF FUNDS for ambulance service are coming out of the "county's pocket." he said, then the ambulance association should continue to provide the service free of charge. Com. Gerlach explained that the county's coun-ty's 1 98 1 health bill for various indigent services totalled S15.CKX). but said the county coun-ty wants to cooperate with the SDFD "in any way we can." CHIEF ARGYLE informed board members mem-bers that the county "has bent over backwards" back-wards" to get the fire district on board and said the county should not be responsible for additional costs. The chief later pointed out that in terms of municipal and county personnel, employees em-ployees alike will be transported free of charge. "WE TRY not to charge public employees." em-ployees." he said. Especially if the are paying into the district. In the past, he said, employees of "taxing" "tax-ing" entities were transported without charge. ALTHOUGH THE SDFD board of directors direc-tors could not make a decision on the issue due to the new by-iaws. Chief Argyle s.ud "we will not charge the prisoners of the jail or any county or city people." |