Third Ambulance Crew Approved for Ind. Fire Dept.

MISHAWAKA - The city's administration and firefighters union have agreed upon a contract for 2013 and 2014 that will enable the city to return to having three ambulance crews on tap at all times.

The contract comes to the Mishawaka Common Council on Monday for its approval. The council will meet at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 600 E. Third St.

The city had started the third ambulance crew in 2011 as a way to respond to more calls and rely less on neighboring fire departments - thus allowing the city to generate more income. It coincided with a spike in the city's billing rates.

The city had to back off the third crew almost a year ago after a ruling on the union's dispute over staffing levels.

But, in January, the city will add two firefighters to the staff to meet the union's concerns over staffing, said Fire Chief Dale Freeman.

The ambulance crews will go from being based at just one fire station on Mishawaka Avenue to three separate stations. The hope is that firefighters would be able to respond more quickly by being closer to the calls, Freeman said.

The ambulances would be based at the stations on Union Street, North Main Street and Douglas Road, he said.

Ambulance runs generated about $676,000 in 2010, then $1.141 million in 2011 when the third crews and higher billing rates began.

And from Jan. 1 until today, ambulance runs have pulled in $1.153 million, said city controller Yvonne Milligan. So, this year's income is a little more than last year's in spite a drop in the number of ambulance runs. That's because in 2011 the city was still collecting on some bills from 2010, which were at the lower billing rates, Milligan explained.

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