By Ronn Rowland
Muskogee Phoenix
MUSKOGEE COUNTY, Okla. 鈥� Muskogee County residents will have free ambulance service beginning Tuesday.
The service is funded through the passage of a public sales tax vote in January.
Voters approved a temporary sales tax of 0.849% of one cent to fund public safety facilities, projects and services including the free ambulance service.
Muskogee County Emergency Medical Services Executive Director Laurel Havens said the response anticipating the new service has been very good.
鈥淚t was probably one of the leading factors in the vote,鈥� Havens said. 鈥淢ost everyone was very excited about that. All the personnel are ready for it.鈥�
Havens said as long as a person鈥檚 residence comes up as Muskogee County, the ambulance service is free. He said even if the patient needs to be transported out of the county to another medical facility, it鈥檚 still free.
鈥淎nything that happens within the county,鈥� Havens said. 鈥淭heir address will be in their health record. If the service is provided outside Muskogee County, that would be between the patient and the providers of that county.鈥�
After initial projects are funded, within seven to 10 years, the sales tax would drop to a half-cent to keep funding the no-cost ambulance service, building maintenance and ongoing departmental vehicle and equipment needs.
Muskogee County EMS public information officer Trish German said they are not anticipating any problems.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 added any staff or ambulances,鈥� German said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thinking it鈥檚 going to remain status quo. We aren鈥檛 foreseeing an increase in call volume.鈥�
Havens said extra ambulances have been ordered for use within the county. He wasn鈥檛 sure when the county would take possession but they are on order.
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