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Clarksville fire chief proposes fees for non-emergency lift assists at commercial facilities
Summary
The fire chief proposed an ordinance to charge commercial facilities for repeated non-emergency lift-assist calls when onsite medical staff are available; the measure is framed as a deterrent to preserve emergency resources, with an appeals process planned.
The Clarksville Fire Chief presented a draft ordinance during the June 16 work session to address repeated non-emergency "lift-assist" calls to commercial medical facilities that request emergency responders to physically move non-injured patients.
The chief said the town recorded 173 lift-assist responses since January and that 53 (about 31%) were to medical-care facilities. He described circumstances in which facilities call 911 for non-injury events where private EMS or on-site staff could manage the lift, tying up emergency resources needed for true emergencies. The proposed ordinance would assess modest fees early in a calendar year (the chief described the first two or three incidents as approximately $500 each) and escalate to roughly $1,000 per incident for repeat occurrences, with an appeals process and room for waivers in justifiable cases.
The chief stressed the proposal is intended as a deterrent, not a revenue generator, and that revenues would go to the fire territory general fund to offset operational costs. Council members asked about liability and exceptions (for example, frail or obese patients with insufficient onsite staffing) and were told those cases could be waived under the appeals process. Staff also said they are researching third-party billing options and that similar ordinances exist in other Indiana communities.
Council discussion did not result in an immediate vote; staff will return with ordinance language and implementation details.
