By EMS1 Staff
BRECKENRIDGE Colo. — A dispute between an EMS provider and a Colorado county is in a negotiation stalemate.
CBS Denver reported that Summit County officials threatened to take away rights to run ambulances from the Red, White and Blue Fire Protection District unless they agreed to participate more in countywide services, specifically out-of-county patient transports.
RWB officials claimed they can’t transport out-of-county patients, because their small staff would be shorthanded for several hours.
“At every corner we’ve turned, it’s been about money with them, and it’s always been about how much do we get pulled into the system,” RWB Fire Chief Jim Keating said.
Summit County Assistant Manager Sarah Vaine said it’s about “providing the entire county the best EMS service possible.”
If negotiations are not completed this summer, RWB paramedics could provide on-scene care, but transportation could only be carried out by a county-approved ambulance.