By Casey Harrison
Las Vegas Review-Journal
HENDERSON, Nev. — Henderson Fire Department Chief Scott Vivier admits a subscription to an ambulance service may not be the most exciting holiday gift to receive, but he can attest that a gift doesn’t need to be flashy to have utility.
Launched in 2016, Henderson’s LifeRide ambulance membership offers individual coverage and family plans that provide up to two medical transports a year from the Fire Department.
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Plans start at $59 per year for individuals or $99 a year for a family plan, which covers the enrollee and up to five additional members who live at the same residence, according to the city of Henderson website.
After the program launched, LifeRide memberships became a yearly go-to Christmas gift for Vivier to his mother and grandmother, along with other gifts, he said.
“They both had medical complications and they used Henderson Fire multiple times a year,” Vivier said. “I knew that they never had to worry about going out-of-pocket.”
‘Peace of mind’
The program has about 400 active memberships that cover roughly 2,500 residents and a year-over-year retention rate of about 95 percent, Vivier said. He added the department is on track to receive 45,000 calls for service this year, of which, about 76 percent will be medically related.
Combined with the fact calls for medical service in Henderson typically spike during the holidays, Vivier said, a LifeRide membership could make for a useful gift ahead of any large planned gatherings.
“We will respond to everything that comes in through 311 or 911,” Vivier said. “You can call 911 with a very minor emergency, but if we take you to the hospital that would be covered under the program.”
There are also some caveats, Vivier said. Memberships must be active before contacting fire officials about the medical episode. The program only covers transports within the city of Henderson.
In addition to the peace of mind the LifeRide program offers, Vivier said, it may also provide some financial relief.
As of February, the average emergency transport in Clark County averages more than $1,200, a rate that is stable across Southern Nevada, Vivier said. That can be particularly devastating for the uninsured, who also likely face a big hospital bill, given they needed emergency transport in the first place.
“I do know there’s people that will not call 911 when they need to because they’re concerned with the finances,” Vivier said. “This is a way that you really do get peace of mind, because you know that you’re going to be taken care of and you do not have to worry about any surprise bills at the end.”
Other benefits
Additionally, proceeds from the program help pay for training gear and simulation equipment that would otherwise be out of reach for the department, Vivier said.
The way Vivier sees it, the program provides value to citizens, and because of its popularity, also ensures EMS personnel are always ready to respond.
LifeRide subscribers can also enroll in the Fire Department’s free First Six Community Lifesaver Training, which offers educational courses about emergency bleeding control, hands-only CPR, Narcan administration, automated external defibrillator operation, and more.
The courses are also available for free to Henderson residents, but LifeRide members can also sign up for an additional CPR certification course, Vivier said.
The concept of ambulance memberships are nothing new, Vivier said. The program launched here in 2016 but has been around in other parts of the U.S. for at least two decades, Vivier said.
Similar programs have been around for at least two decades, and are available in Mesquite, Boulder City, and Washoe and Lyon Counties, Vivier said. Neither the Clark County, Las Vegas or North Las Vegas fire departments have a similar program, according to their respective spokespersons.
Hopefully, Vivier said, that will change in the future.
“Every community that has implemented this type of program have never shut it off because it’s such a positive thing for the citizens,” Vivier said.
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