More Garbage

“Well, the opposite is true. If the profit making ambulance service doesn't reimburse , the taxpayer , then the taxpayer ,in fact, pays twice. Ergo it is not a "free" service.”

The ambulance does not make a profit!  Every last dime goes back to sustaining the service. No one said that the ambulance is free. How could it be free? The MVFD could stop billing tomorrow.  The Middlebury resident would then have to pick up the tab on replacement ambulances, $80,000 worth of Advanced Life Support fees, each and every year.  They would also have to pay for all supplies and all new equipment. They would see a marked increase in their taxes.

Why is it that town after town is going to these billing systems?  Is Middlebury unique? NO.  Its your choice.  Is it better to have those who are actually using the ambulance, pay for it, or should the cost be spread among everyone in Town.  There are many doctors’ offices in town.  Do you, as a taxpayer feel comfortable with our ambulance giving free services that you are paying for for those who do not even live in Town.  Are you content with that arrangement?  If so, lets get rid of billing.

The MVFD is acting in the BEST interests of everyone in this community.  We are trying to get the best bang for the buck.  The First Responder vehicle is not a toy (more on that in a later post). It is a way to help improve patient care.  To my knowledge, all but two Police Officers are MRTs.  MRTs are trained to about 40 hours.  EMTs are trained to over 160 hours.  Would patient care improve, and would the MVFD be taking some of the burden off our dedicated Police Officers using this car? YES! If we can not get a full crew, than it is better for patient care to at least get one of our EMTs on-scene as soon as possible. 

The idiotic logic that the First Responder Vehicle is anything, but an attempt to improve patient care is simply garbage.  It is yet another attempt to politicize the MVFD. Its time to wake up, ignore the lies and do what is in the best interest of those in this community.