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DuBois Officials Urge County: Don—t Remove Local Ambulance as Frontier Contract Nears Renewal
Summary
Officials from DuBois told Fremont County commissioners they are alarmed by reports the county may remove the town—s ambulance base. County staff said Frontier—s contract is up June 30 and they are collecting proposals; commissioners agreed to continue discussions on funding, volunteers and equipment transfer.
DuBois officials and residents told the Fremont County Board of County Commissioners they are worried the town could lose its ambulance base if the county changes its contract structure.
"The word right now is the county is gonna pull our bus. Our ambulance is going away," said Don McDaniel, a DuBois resident, during a lengthy public presentation asking the commission to clarify plans and preserve local emergency coverage. Mayor Pat and other local officials said the town is effectively an "island" more than 80 miles from major county services and stressed the importance of clear county communication.
County staff told the board Frontier—s contract for ambulance service expires June 30. The commission said it is soliciting proposals and has received interest from other providers; staff said they will collect paperwork and pricing and share it with commissioners. Commissioners and staff described options they are exploring: asking Frontier for proposals, seeking other private providers, leasing county vehicles or equipment to a local entity, and considering hybrid funding arrangements with municipalities.
Panelists and county staff discussed operational obstacles. A presenter who has trained local volunteers said Frontier and other private contractors typically decline to use volunteers because of corporate liability rules. Commissioners and county staff acknowledged liability and dispatch reimbursement questions and suggested potential solutions such as incorporating volunteers under a municipal payroll or using a local police dispatch to support callouts.
Staff said the county fleet contains some ambulances that might be made available to DuBois, but condition and equipment readiness vary. The county—s vehicle maintenance superintendent will inventory available units and report back on which would be service-ready. Commissioners encouraged DuBois leaders to prepare a proposal outlining what local responsibilities and funding they could assume.
Why it matters: DuBois, with fewer than 1,000 residents, sits far from hospitals and relies on local ambulance presence and volunteer first responders. Removing a base or changing coverage could lengthen response times for rural residents and complicate mutual-aid arrangements across outlying towns.
What—s next: County staff will gather price proposals from Frontier and other interested providers; they will deliver an inventory of potentially available county ambulances and bring a draft proposal for a local-county working group. Commissioners repeatedly said they were open to conversation but would need cost figures and operational plans before committing to a locally operated service.
