Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Fire Department Billing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Oak Lawn resident tells trustees a $400 fire department lift charge strained a senior household
Summary
Resident Irene Mahoney told trustees her late ex‑husband, a 21‑year Parkinson's patient, was billed $400 for assistance lifting him off the floor and asked the village to reconsider billing policies for seniors and people with disabilities.
During the public comment period at the Nov. 25 Oak Lawn trustees meeting, resident Irene Mahoney described repeated calls for assistance for her late ex‑husband, who had Parkinson's disease, and said the family received a $400 bill from the fire department for lifting him off the floor.
Mahoney said the household relied on Social Security and that charging $400 for the service was a hardship. "We got 2 for free and then we were charged for $400... As a senior and as him being a senior, that's a lot of money," she told the board and asked trustees to reconsider billing rules for seniors and disabled residents.
A board member suggested Mahoney contact the fire chief to discuss her financial situation; the trustee noted that the ordinance and billing rules were put in place because ambulance and fire department runs are costly and had been abused in some cases. Mahoney said she would contact the fire chief.
The transcript does not record any immediate board action or vote in response; the public comment was acknowledged and followed by procedural business. The meeting record does not include any statement from the fire department or a formal policy change at that session.
