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Show Must maintain quality Davis County SherifPs Department studies new ambulance service policy By GARY R. BLODGETT FARMINGTON Sheriff Brant Johnson emphasized today that he is not looking for a cheaper way to provide ambulance service to north Davis County, "unless that service is at least equal to the service now being offered and is less costly to the taxpayers." "I'm satisfied with the service now being offered," said Sheriff Johnson, "but as a tax-supported entity, we should look at all feasible feasi-ble alternatives." He explained that a study is being made to see if a private firm can provide ambulance service as cheaply and efficiently as that being provided by the Sheriffs Department. De-partment. The sheriff told the Davis County Coun-ty Emergency Medical Services Council recently that the Sheriff's Department invited private firms to respond to an invitation seeking services they could offer and what the cost would be. He said four companies responded re-sponded and these proposals are being reviewed. The Sheriffs Department took over ambulance service in north Davis County including paramedic para-medic service about eight years ago after becoming dissatisfied with an Ogden (ambulance) company com-pany which had been providing the service. "Since then I have been satisfied with the paramedic and ambulance service which the Sheriffs Department Depart-ment has provided, but we have had interest expressed to us by some private firms that they would like to bid on the service," he said. "But one thing for certain is that the service must be of the level now being offered and for less money." Sheriff Johnson said the county now spends about $1 million annually on ambulance and paramedic para-medic service for north Davis County residents. The study committee is comprised compris-ed of Dr. Enrico Leopardi, director of the Davis County Health Department; De-partment; Capt. K.D. Simpson, patrol commander in charge of emergency medical service for the Sheriff's Department; Vernon Griffiths, director of administrative administra-tive services for Davis County ; and representatives of South Davis Fire Department, Layton Fire Department, De-partment, and Humana Hospital in Layton. This committee is expected to review the proposals within the next few weeks and make it recommendations recom-mendations to the Emergency Medical Services Council. |