Background information

Many of you may remember in November of 2013 the City of Medford and Miller EMS reached a verbal agreement allowing Miller EMS to respond to certain calls within the city limits of Medford. Additionally, Miller EMS could respond to an individual’s direct request for Miller EMS provided Miller EMS alerted Medford EMS of the call and paid a $125 call out fee to Medford EMS if the patient chose to be transported by Miller EMS. This action came after months of public input requesting the City of Medford allow their citizens a choice in who they use as their ambulance provider.

In August of 2016 Medford EMS submitted a complaint to the Oklahoma State Department of Health alleging that Miller EMS was in violation of the county EMS plan subsequent to Miller EMS responding to a call within established the verbal agreement noted above. Medford EMS and the City of Medford denied the existence of any such agreement. Miller EMS was cited by the Oklahoma State Department of Health for a response area violation. Secondary to this action, Grant County commissioners amended the county EMS plan to allow individual residents in the unincorporated areas of Grant County the right to choose their ambulance provider. See Grant County resolution # 94-2016.

Petition

We want the City of Medford to allow each individual resident, and business, the option to choose which ambulance service provider is used for their transport to, from, and within the corporate limits of the City of Medford. This option shall be granted by means of amending the ambulance service ordinance and shall not impose fees upon the ambulance service provider for doing business in the city limits or for responding within the city limits or upon the citizen for exercising their option to choose.