Service area expands for CLFD ambulance

(Above) This map shows the revised Clear Lake ambulance service area bordered in red.  The solid red image near the center denotes the Mason City Municipal Airport, which is served by the MCFD.

All residents of Clear Lake, Ventura  fire districts now served by CLFD ambulance

by Marianne Gasaway

All residents of the Clear Lake Fire District will now be served by Clear Lake’s ambulance, thanks to a change in an ambulance service agreement involving the county, Mason City and Clear Lake.

According to CLFD Chief Doug Meyers, changes which now expand Clear Lake’s ambulance service by 95 square miles, will improve response times.

“The new agreement intends to offer the best service we can, as quickly as we can.  It is also cost efficient for both communities,” said Meyers.

The previous coverage area had Mason City EMS traveling to calls which the Clear Lake ambulance could have reached in five-minutes.

“We have seen Mason City drive by our station responding to a call.  This makes much more sense.  It is always a work in progress, but it will be revisited in 10-years, if not before,” said Meyers.

Contracts for emergency medical services are made on 10-year cycles. This change to the contracts comes three years late, mostly due to administrative changes at various entities, according to Meyers.

The previous agreement had the MCFD providing EMS to approximately 824 square miles of area.  Under the new agreement, 95 square miles will be transferred to Clear Lake.  The new area for CLFD is basically west of Killdeer Avenue.  Meyers explained approximately one-half of the new area is located in the Ventura Fire District.

CLFD EMS will serve its entire fire district, as well as Ventura’s Fire District.

“Each governmental jurisdiction has the option of picking who they want, and Ventura had asked the CLFD to serve that community three years ago,” said Meyers.  “Under the new agreement, we are able to do that.”

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The CLFD will replace the Garner Ambulance Service.

Meyers said Ventura’s preference for Clear Lake EMS was largely based on the fact that CLFD has paramedics on staff.  As a volunteer ambulance service, Garner does not always have a paramedic level responder available.

Meyers said no additional personnel will be needed to serve the expanded Clear Lake area with ambulance service. Based on historical data, he anticipates about 10 additional calls per year.

“We already send first responders to all calls in the Clear Lake Fire District.  Now we will also respond with an ambulance,” said Meyers.

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