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IRON COUNTY — Iron County was one of the few counties or cities in Utah to own its own ambulance service, but now that is changing. The county is selling the current ambulance service to a private company in hopes of saving the county money.
The debt the county has accumulated thus far for their ambulance service is significant — around $2 million, in fact. The county is hoping that by switching over to a private company it will help alleviate county debt, selling the contract for around $1.25 million.
County commissioners said that residents should not be concerned. But quality care has been one of the major concerns leading up to this decision. Gold Cross Ambulance bought the contract from the county. In fact, the company has ambulance contracts throughout the state.
On Tuesday night, ambulance workers in the county finally met for the first time since the decision was made. For several years these workers have wondered what their future might hold.
"These are good people,” Jody Edwards from the Iron County Sheriff's Office, head of the Iron County’s Ambulance Service, said.
He found out Monday that the county decided to sell its current service, and then met with his staff Tuesday night
"I want them to be informed, I want them to be encouraged, and I want them to get excited," Edwards said. "I'm discussing with them the transition and the fact that they can future their careers with Gold Cross and that's a reality. That can happen.”
Even though ambulance workers know the service has been privatized, they still don't know what the future holds. Ambulance workers now have two concerns: their jobs and the quality of ambulance service county residents will have.
It doesn't matter the badge on their chest. It matters what is in their hearts. And we got the very best right here.
–Lt. Jody Edwards
"Now my job is very clear. Gold Cross has got to be a success," Edwards said.
“It's just something we felt like we had to do,” Dale Brinkerhoff, Iron County commissioner, said.
Brinkerhoff said that the county was simply losing too much money running the ambulance service to keep it.
“The Medicaid, Medicare payments are far under the going rate. It's really a financial struggle, and as a result, we've accumulated a sizable deficit in that account,” Brinkerhoff said.
Brinkerhoff says county residence shouldn't notice a difference. But he does acknowledge that this has been a controversial subject in the county.
“We'll have a few bumps. We have bumps now,” Brinkerhoff said.
As for current ambulance workers, they are just hoping the transition will be as smooth as county leaders believe it will be. Ultimately for these ambulance workers, their job is not about the pay — it's about the passion that motivates them.
"It doesn't matter the badge on their chest. It matters what is in their hearts. And we got the very best right here," Edwards said.
