LOGAN – With minimal discussion, members of the Logan Municipal Council approved revised rates for the Logan City Fire Department’s charges for services at their regular meeting on Aug. 20.
Only council member Mike Johnson acknowledged concerns about those proposed rate hikes, but those were resolved through a discussion with Fire Chief Nate Thompson following a workshop session at the council’s last meeting on Aug. 6.
Thompson explained that most of the LCFD fee schedule revisions being proposed are intended to help to cover increases in the department’s costs for medical supplies and medication costs since their fee schedule was last adjusted in December of 2020.
At the Aug. 6 council meeting, Thompson said the LCFD’s billing agency had recommended charges of two to four times the department’s actual costs for emergency medical services and standby duties.
But the proposed fee schedule splits the difference by recommending new fees generally equal to three times the actual costs. That puts the LCFD’s new fee schedule about equal to that of fire departments in Ogden and Draper.
Johnson’s concerns had focused on significant proposed fees hikes for the LCFD’s rescue services. Those are activities involving ice, swift water, structural collapse, trench collapse and extraction from damaged vehicles, according to Thompson.
Johnson’s worries were relieved, however, when he discovered that the bulk of those proposed fees would be charged to insurance companies rather than city residents.
Following a hearing at which no comments from the public were heard, the members of the Logan Municipal Council unanimously approved the rate changes to the LCFD fee schedule.
Among the fee adjustments approved by council members are those for standby services performed by the LCFD, including non-emergency presence at fireworks displays, sporting events and other large public gathering.
The standby fee for one fire engine or ladder apparatus and two firefighters will be $380 per hour, up from current $225 rate.
The proposed standby rate for one brush truck and two firefighters will be $232 per hour, up from the current rate of $225.
The proposed rate for an airport standby, which is typically required whenever a charter flight arrives at or departs the Logan-Cache Airport, will be $285 for two hours, up from the current rate of $250.
The council also approved fees for fire extraction functions for the first time, including light extraction (use of hand tools), heavy extraction (use of power tools) and hazardous materials clean-up efforts.
The fees for those services will be $100 per hour for light extraction, $150 per hour for heavy extraction and $50 per hour for hazardous materials clean-up.
For emergency medical services, council members okayed nearly 50 rate increases out of the nearly 90 EMS procedures, supplies and medications listed.
Among those rate increases are $324 for continuous positive airway pressure (up from $150); $277 for full spinal immobilization (up from $184); $505 for splinting/traction (up from $88); and $242 for albuterol treatment for an asthma attack (up from $100).
The full approved LCFD rate schedule can be found under Resolution 24-31 at https://cms9files.revize.com/loganut/departments/admin/council/Res%2024-31%20Fire%20Standby%20Fee%20and%20EMS%20Billing%20Rates%20-%20WORKSHOP.pdf