Chillicothe — Council voted to reimburse surrounding townships $60K for EMS mutual aid in 2025. Sponsor Jeff Creed said this is part of a new policy to make inter-cooperative services more fair.
Delayed by Monday’s holiday, council met Wednesday evening in regular session. Creed had the ordinance passed on first reading, to cover past invoices as well as the rest of the year.
He said the city had signed an agreement with Scioto and Union townships to pay them when they come into Chillicothe to cover Emergency Medical Services that city squads can’t because of call load. But the deal works both ways – the townships will reimburse the city when their EMS come in to assist.
This is after discussions on improving EMS service in Ross County, triggered mainly by the debacle of a Twin Township woman dying after waiting for an ambulance for almost an hour on Christmas Day of 2021. Read a story that gives an overview from March of 2024.
Creed was in the start of those discussions as city fire chief, but backed out after becoming a council member because of concerns about conflicts of interest. He said the EMS discussions continue, to consider better ways for even service through the county.
Hear Creed in his own words in the interview.
