An Illinois fire department is considering the implementation of fees for one of its non-emergency services.
If Village of Savoy officials give the idea a thumbs up, the fire company would be paid for lift assist calls at assisted living facilities, WCIA reported.
Village President John Brown said crews have already responded to over 100 of these non-emergency calls this year — a number they hope to limit in 2024.
If passed, it would align Savoy with other fire departments in the area, like Champaign and Rantoul, which charge $300 to $400 for lift assist calls
“We’d like to keep that equipment 100% available for emergency responses. We just don’t run the fires anymore. There’s all kinds of emergency services that we provide; many of those services require specialized equipment, specialized staff, and training and maintenance, and ongoing training. And those issues require support,” explained Eddie Bain, fire department public information officer.
