Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
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In the event of an emergency, the citizens of Salt Lake County deserve to have the best possible ambulance service available to them.
Some County officials, led by Mayor Nancy Workman, say the County ought to provide the service. They contend it is a core responsibility of government. Besides, Workman claims the County could make money at it - a million dollars a year. That, says the Mayor, would bring much needed cash into County coffers and would "stave off" possibilities of a property tax increase.
"Wait a minute," says Gold Cross, the private enterprise that currently provides ambulance service throughout much of the County, "we've been down this road before."
They remind people that back in the early 1980s, the County
kept losing money and couldn't wait to get private industry to take on the task. Besides, says Gold Cross, if it isn't broken, it doesn't need to be fixed!
It is a compelling argument.
But, so, too, is the argument emanating from Mayor Workman's office. A corps of highly trained emergency personnel staffs the County's fire stations. They respond to 9-1-1 calls, often arriving first, but then can't transport patients to hospitals because they're not in the ambulance business.
The bottom line on this one - a lot more study and evaluation is needed before a final decision is made.
When lives are on the line, the citizens of Salt Lake County deserve to know their emergency services are, indeed, the very best.
