Cost of fuel impacting emergency services

The price at the pump is still climbing, up another 10-cents Friday at most Tulsa area stations. Because the cost to fill your tank is on the rise, many motorists wonder how much more they're paying

Friday, April 21st 2006, 10:32 am

By: News On 6

The price at the pump is still climbing, up another 10-cents Friday at most Tulsa area stations. Because the cost to fill your tank is on the rise, many motorists wonder how much more they're paying for other services.

News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin takes a look.

Another day, another dime per gallon for gas. We all know that feeling of filling up at the pump and being shocked at the price. For most, it's a frustration you just deal with to drive, but other things we take for granted are also affected by fuel costs.

For some, it's a matter of life and death. EMSA trucks log more than a 100,000 miles a month on Tulsa calls. Every 10-cent increase at the pump, costs them another $21,000 for fuel.

We've already told you how some area law enforcement is cutting corners; the Wagoner County Sheriff is considering taking minor reports over the phone, instead of sending deputies, to save gas. Other agencies say they are not there yet, but are making budget adjustments to deal with the cost.

So what happens when you call an ambulance at $2.89 a gallon? "You call, we come, period." Tina Wells with EMSA says the public is simply not going to do without emergency services, but who pays to fill the tank? "The costs of the gasoline do not get passed on to the patient, they are ones that are borne by the private sector and we as taxpayers and we as patients are protected."

Wells says because EMSA is a trust authority, services are contracted out to a company that covers its own fuel costs without raising rates. "It doesn't matter if the gas is a $1 a gallon, or $4 a gallon, we're still able to provide that superior level of care because of the way we're designed."

Wells says it's not fair to compare Tulsa's service to smaller rural ambulances that may eventually have to raise patient rates to deal with fuel costs.

EMSA expects to spend more than $400,000 on fuel this fiscal year.