Town Council Approves Ambulance Service Contract with ERM

Monroe Volunteer Emergency Medical Services personnel cover the town from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and American Medical Response provides two emergency medical technicians to operate the ambulance service for the remaining 12 hours. But AMR's contract is up — and so are its rates.

"AMR was taken over by a venture capital group," Town Attorney Jack Fracassini told the Town Council at its Monday night meeting.

He said AMR demanded a $14.50 per hour increase and an 8-10% increase a year over the next two years.

"They won't move off those figures," Fracassini said.

Dennis Condon, EMS Commission chairman, declined to give the current hourly figure charged by AMR, but said it was asking for over a 30% increase.

The Monroe Emergency Medical Services Commission approached six different companies with requests for quotes and AMR and Emergency Resource Management, a Portland service, responded, according to Condon.

Fracassini said ERM offered the basic life support service (BLS) to Monroe for $22.25 an hour with a maximum increase to $22.75 by 2013-14. He said the town would save about $270,000 over three years by going with ERM over AMR.

The Town Council unanimously approved a contract agreement with ERM.

Condon said AMR still provides the town's paramedic intercept, adding there will be negotiations on that contract and RFQs will be sent out in an attempt to get a lower rate.

The Monroe Emergency Medical Service has been taking steps to obtain its own paramedic service, so it can become an advanced life support service as well as a BLS.