Bonneville Commissioners approve IF ambulance contract

Bonneville County Commissioners have agreed to continue a contract for Swan Valley ambulance service with the city of Idaho Falls.

The county agreed to a 3 percent cost of living budget allowance and an additional $80,000 to staff another ambulance. That is designed to help Idaho Falls keep enough ambulances in service to adequately cover the entire county at any given time.

The Swan Valley Fire District advanced its own $438,000 budget proposal in an effort to take back control of the service last month.

Commission Chairman Roger Christensen said the fire district failed to offer a plan that would sustain Swan Valley service or secure any local committment to fund it. In its last year of operation, the Swan Valley ambulance required 17.5 percent of the county’s ambulance budget, but handled only 1.5 percent of total calls.

He stressed that one Idaho Falls ambulance is stationed in Swan Valley. It is being housed in the county-owned half of the Swan Valley Fire Station building.