MEAD, Wash. — Spokane County Fire District 9 got three new ambulances this week, marking a significant milestone in the district’s plan to establish its own emergency medical transport operations.
The arrival of the ambulances represents a major shift for the north Spokane area district, which is moving away from American Medical Response’s emergency services to create an in-house ambulance program designed to improve healthcare access for local families.
Fire Chief Matt Vinci said the transition aims to address financial barriers that prevent some residents from seeking emergency medical care.
“We don’t want transport bills and fees to get in the way of folks accessing care and pre-hospital emergency health care,” Vinci said in an interview with KXLY last September.
Ambulance rides can cost thousands of dollars, creating substantial financial obstacles for many families seeking emergency medical treatment. The district’s new approach is specifically designed to eliminate these barriers for patients.
The district said it will provide a resident fee waiver to patients using the service who live in the area. This will eliminate costs and simply bill insurance companies and Medicaid for patients who have coverage. Officials said they will not pursue payment from patients without insurance coverage.
According to a district social media post, the three ambulances arrived after 235 days of planning, coordination, and preparation work. The vehicles are currently being outfitted for service before they begin responding to emergency calls.
“This is a major step forward for our district and a direct investment into the health and safety of our residents, visitors, and local businesses,” the district stated in its announcement.
The new ambulance program comes as the Mead-area community continues to experience growth, prompting the district to expand its emergency medical services capabilities.
District officials said the new units will strengthen EMS response times and ensure the department is prepared to meet community needs.
Officials plan to have the new service running on July 1st.
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