Drunks may pay for 'no ride' ambulance calls
Deputy Fire Chief Rich Elliott met with members of the Kittitas County Community Network and Coalition on Monday about the proposal
The Daily Record
ELLENSBURG, Wash. — Kittitas Valley Fire and Rescue is proposing charging for emergency medical calls resulting from illegal drug or alcohol activity that do not result in transporting someone to a hospital. Deputy Fire Chief Rich Elliott met with members of the Kittitas County Community Network and Coalition on Monday about the proposal.
The coalition coordinates substance abuse and injury prevention efforts across the community, and includes parents, law enforcement, substance abuse treatment professionals and other community members.
Elliott said people who are taken to the hospital already are paying a fee, and 70 percent of KVFR’s emergency medical service budget comes from those fees, with the rest from fire district tax revenue. People who aren’t taken to the hospital don’t pay. Ambulances respond to every incident, even if the caller contacts 911 later to cancel the call, he said, and responders can’t leave until a call is complete.
Full story: No free rides for not riding?
Brian Wall Wednesday, March 06, 2013 8:15:10 PM So how does one get a legal refusal from someone intoxicated or on drugs? Can you prove that it is only alchol or drugs as well? I have not seen any test to prove otherwise in the prehospital realm to ensure that they would not be liable if something very negative happened. 
Dan Rosenberg Wednesday, March 06, 2013 8:19:10 PM Not sure about your EMS system, but according to mine, I'm not allowed to accept a refusal if drugs/ETOH is/are on board.
John Muravez Thursday, March 07, 2013 9:34:48 AM Its a fine line.... I think we don't have a better answer on that because most of the people end up happy they are still alive or too stupid to try to sue...
