Tulsa Likely to Decide EMSA`s Fate this Week

Jan. 9--A decision is anticipated Wednesday on whether the city should continue its ambulance contract with the Emergency Medical Services Authority or move that work to the Fire Department.

Mayor Kathy Taylor has been weighing the options since October, when the Fire Department submitted an offer that claims that it could save millions of dollars by taking over the service.

If the city doesn't act by the end of the month, the trust agreement between Tulsa and EMSA will continue.

If the city dissolves the trust, Tulsa and area suburbs that use EMSA will have to provide their own ambulance service.

Taylor spokeswoman Kim McLeod said the decision is expected Wednesday.

The fate of EMSA is in Tulsa's hands after Oklahoma City voted in December to keep the service for five more years.

EMSA is a public-private partnership established in 1977. It provides ambulance service for 1.1 million people in Tulsa, Oklahoma City and several smaller cities.

Taylor has said her responsibility in the decision is to the residents of Tulsa and those in the surrounding service areas of Sand Springs, Jenks and Bixby.

EMSA has asked the city for a $1.8 million subsidy this fiscal year. It predicts that the need will grow because its costs of providing service will continue to increase as re-imbursements for Medicare and Medicaid decrease.

Both Tulsa and Oklahoma City received offers from their fire departments.

The cities agreed in October to extend the deadline for a decision until Jan. 31 to allow time to analyze the options.

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