PFLUGERVILLE, Texas — On Tuesday night, Pflugerville City Council authorized the city manager to secure a contract with a private ambulance service to provide emergency medical services for the city beginning Jan. 1, 2022.
The contract will allow Acadian Ambulance Services of Texas to provide medical care for the area following Travis County ESD No. 2’s anticipated withdrawal of its ambulances after Dec. 31.
It comes as its current emergency services district says it needs more money, and after voters rejected annexing part of the city into a new ESD. Proposition A would have allowed the newly created Travis County Emergency Services District (ESD) 17 to provide ambulance services to ESD 2. That district covers parts of Pflugerville and its extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ).
The contract authorized on Tuesday is a two-year contract with the option to renew for two additional one-year terms. Under the contract, Acadian must provide four ambulances in the City of Pflugerville, and the number of ambulances can be increased based on meeting the required eight-minute response time within City limits and 10-minute response time in the ETJ.
The City of Pflugerville will be able review the contract semi-annually, and monthly response time reports will be provided by Acadian. Acadian’s fee schedule will be reviewed by City Council annually, with the option to file an objection.
The contract is at no cost to the City, except for any costs incurred as part of the City’s responsibility to administer the contract, and Acadian is wholly responsible for determining the location of and procuring any facilities.
Negotiations for the private ambulance service kicked off in October with some pushback from the community.
Critics say private ambulances could overcharge residents, taking advantage of those in need of emergency care.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: