SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — The Schaumburg Fire Department is raising ambulance fees for non-medical calls in an effort to reduce strain on emergency resources.
Fire Chief Fabio Puccini told the village’s public safety committee the change is aimed at discouraging residents from calling paramedics for lift assists or other household help when no medical care is needed, the Daily Herald reported.
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Puccini said village social workers can help connect residents with long-term support services better suited to those needs.
Fees would begin with the 11th non-transport call in a year: $100 for the 11th call, $250 for the 12th and $325 for each additional call.
The policy targets repeated non-medical requests, such as mobility help or finding misplaced items, and does not apply to legitimate medical calls that do not result in transport.
Schaumburg officials said revenue is not the goal of the new fee policy. Similar measures have been adopted in Hoffman Estates and Arlington Heights, where repeated non-medical lift-assist calls are free at first but later carry escalating fees.
Should departments charge repeat users to help preserve emergency resources, or are there better ways to address the issue?
EMS1 readers respond
“Absolutely they should have a charge. I think waiting until the 11th call is too many. EMS is a profession, not a free help service. It takes a unit out of emergency response for unnecessary needs. If they need lift assists, etc the people need to evaluate the living arrangements available. Yes I work on a service where lift assists are a very common call.”
