Lower ambulance costs for local jurisdictions

An increase in calls for service and the savings of regional operations will result in a reduced subsidy cost for St. Joseph County governmental units that contract with LifeCare Ambulance.
Sturgis Township last month became the first of 12 local jurisdictions to sign a new four-year contract with LifeCare Ambulance for emergency medical response.
According to Mike Bobalik, Sturgis Township clerk, LifeCare has proposed an overall annual subsidy of $115,000, down from the current $145,000, for each of the next four years, to be split among eight townships, three villages and the city of Sturgis.
That will result in a lower annual cost for each of the participating jurisdictions.
The consortium was formed in 2007 to provide a cost-effective way to guarantee advanced life support services to the area that now comprises the city of Sturgis, the villages of Burr Oak, Constantine and White Pigeon, and Sturgis, Burr Oak, Constantine, Fawn River, Florence, Mottville, Sherman and White Pigeon townships.