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Johnston-Grimes Fire District to charge $500 lift-assist fee for non-emergent calls
Summary
The council approved a $500 lift-assist fee for non-emergent responses to assisted-living, nursing home and memory-care facilities, with an exception when medical assessment or vitals are required; staff said the change is intended to curb growing non-emergent calls that tie up advanced life-support units.
The Johnston City Council approved Resolution 25-231 on Wednesday to add a $500 'lift assist' fee to the fee schedule for the Johnston-Grimes Metropolitan Fire District for non-emergent assistance calls at assisted-living, nursing and memory-care facilities.
Fire Chief (identified in the record as Speaker 11) told council the request comes after a multiyear rise in lift-assist requests that dispatch advanced life-support resources to calls that staff deem non-emergent. The chief said those responses pull paramedics, EMTs, ambulances and fire trucks out of service and create overtime and injury risk for department personnel.
“We are talking about very low-acuity calls for service,” the chief said, noting his goal is behavior change by facility staff and better use of in-house lifting resources. He added that when responders determine a medical complaint exists—if they take vitals or otherwise assess the individual as a patient—the event is treated as medical care and no lift-assist fee applies.
Chiefs and staff noted the city would become the third in the metro area to adopt such a fee. Council members thanked staff for clarifying the distinction between non-emergent lift assists and calls requiring medical assessment. The council voted in favor of the resolution by roll-call vote.
The fee is aimed at reducing the use of advanced response units for nonmedical assistance while preserving full medical response when needed.
