On Tuesday, June 11, 2024, during a regular City Council Meeting the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and City Administration went before City Councilmembers to present an ordinance to create an Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Enterprise. The EMS Enterprise would have brought the responsibility of ambulance transport under the umbrella of the Fire Department. After months of meetings to educate councilmembers on the project, the outcome was a 5-4 vote against the ordinance.
“I am incredibly disappointed to say that five Colorado Springs City Councilmembers voted against the proposal for an Ambulance Transport Enterprise. This proposal would have been a historic step for our community and would have been the best possible outcome for our community,” said Fire Chief Randy Royal. “When given the opportunity, we are confident that we can provide a sustainable enterprise, lower response times, and improve services utilizing our plan. We would also have been able to provide lower transport fees for our citizens. As your Fire Chief I am committed to bringing you the best care possible, the care you deserve. We will continue to work with stakeholders to bring the responsibility of ambulance transport in house. ”
What's next
“Moving into the future, we will continue to provide the excellent and professional service that our citizens deserve. We have been serving our city for over 130 years and we appreciate the trust you have in us to protect your lives and property, ” said Royal. “We will also look for continued funding for our nationally recognized specialized Tiered Response and Division of Community and Public Health units. As well, we will continue to look at the options for the future to provide an effective and efficient ambulance transport system.”