By Kristen Taketa
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
ALTON, Ill. — The Alton Fire Department will start its own ambulance service to generate more revenue as it's facing cost increases, officials said Wednesday.
The department has had to shrink its personnel, through layoffs and attrition, from 69 in 2003 to 43 this year because providing fire services has become more expensive, said Fire Chief Bernie Sebold.
Sebold said the city also faces a shrinking tax base. An ambulance service can provide $500,000 more a year in revenue, he added.
“We want to avoid being faced with a situation where we need to raise the taxes of our citizens and business owners in order to maintain an adequate level of emergency response,” said Mayor Brant Walker in a statement Wednesday.
The city has relied on private ambulance service from LifeStar and Alton Memorial Hospital to transport patients in the city. Once the fire department starts its ambulance service, private ambulances will be used only whenever both of its ambulances are busy.
The ambulances, which have not yet been purchased, will cost about $150,000 to $175,000 each, Sebold added.
The fire department hopes to start ambulance service by April 1 of next year.
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