1
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but I want to thank everybody

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for being here this morning. I see a

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lot of brass and a lot of

4
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dear friends and stuff and

5
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uh uh this

6
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is I'm excited

7
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about this because it's

8
00:00:13,116 --> 00:00:14,437
passion, I mean,

9
00:00:14,437 --> 00:00:15,557
safety, especially in rural

10
00:00:15,557 --> 00:00:16,597
Oklahoma

11
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and it's,

12
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uh, it's

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just something we just

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need

15
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interim studies are great because

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we bring this stuff to

17
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a lot that a lot of people don't

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understand.

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Anyhow, I wanna thank

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Representative Rey

21
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for leaving Nashville to

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make you here on time today. So,

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uh, but, uh,

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anyhow, he

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is, he's a dear

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friend, dear brother, just like

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most people. But, um,

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thank y'all. And like I said,

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uh, Uh,

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I'm gonna turn it over to him

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and if there's got any

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questions, direct them to him

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and if I see somebody that

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does it or whatever,

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but, um,

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uh and

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a few other state reps,

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so it'd be the state reps

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asking questions. So

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all righty, but I'm gonna turn

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it over to you.

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Representative, thank

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you. >> Thank

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you Chairman Dempsey

45
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and again

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I know this is

47
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an interesting challenge

48
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statewide. Those of

49
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us that represent rural

50
00:01:14,887 --> 00:01:16,436
areas have been

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dealing with this for

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quite some time.

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Uh, I have had

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some conversation obviously

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with folks in the five counties

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that I represent and

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I

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think I got a pretty good handle

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on the challenges that we have

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out there, but I thought it was

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important to have the

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conversation statewide.

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And look at

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the funding mechanisms that

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we have, the

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challenges that we're facing

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obviously

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with

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To say escalated costs is

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an understatement,

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obviously,

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and many

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municipalities and

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local county governments

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and things like that

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are having a hard time

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meeting the challenge.

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It has created a market

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opportunity for

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a private

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enterprise to get involved, and

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I know that that

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is

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very

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Uh, very

86
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popular in a lot of

87
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parts of the state. So,

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uh, with that, I'm

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just, before I get to

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introducing the speakers

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today, uh,

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I do want

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to

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Bring my my

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perspective just real

96
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quickly,

97
00:02:23,827 --> 00:02:26,536
uh,

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The members around the table

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are

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00:02:28,857 --> 00:02:31,057
all

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Mature

102
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and I'm being polite there,

103
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but I, I, I

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certainly

105
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remember growing

106
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up in my

107
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hometown when the

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ambulance was parked at the

109
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funeral home and

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either the ambulance or the hearse

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went out and

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that's the way that that

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was managed for a long

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time. Uh,

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in in the 70s, whenever the

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522

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districts

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started forming

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and funding,

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uh, cities

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in a lot of cases took that

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over and,

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and, you know, actually manned

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it with utilities,

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public works

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employees that got

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their got their

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health and emergency training

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and things to do that.

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We added

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Onca time, which was an

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extra income for some of

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those folks around whenever we

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paid people to be on

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time for basic

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service and just in

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time we have we

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have transformed and

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enhanced and

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added to additional

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service to where, you know

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not only do we pay people

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to be ready for a call,

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uh, we we pay them

145
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24/7

146
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for you know, even

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enhanced service and

148
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I know

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that.

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A lot of counties

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have countywide services.

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I have that

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in my area. I

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have A

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single provider

156
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for the county and right

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next door, I have a

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county with

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4 districts

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and uh some of

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them are doing better than others,

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but everybody sees the

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the trend.

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that is concerning them

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for the future. So with

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that, I would like

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to get into the

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speakers and I, I greatly

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appreciate my friend Bobby

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Stem here who

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represents the Oklahoma

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nonprofit EMS

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services that are here and and

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encouraged me

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to to have this

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study and has helped

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me get a handle on

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the challenges that he

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sees and his folks

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see that so when we get

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into

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The speakers

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here, uh,

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first, since I

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didn't

186
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Have it handy. Let me pull it

187
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up real quickly

188
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here.

189
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Our very, our very first

190
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speaker

191
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today, Marie Schel

192
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is with the

193
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Oklahoma Tax Commission, the

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director of tax

195
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policy research,

196
00:04:56,986 --> 00:04:58,467
uh, hopefully will, will

197
00:04:58,467 --> 00:04:59,946
let us, help

198
00:04:59,946 --> 00:05:01,587
us understand

199
00:05:01,587 --> 00:05:03,257
how these districts

200
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are funded

201
00:05:04,507 --> 00:05:05,946
and, uh,

202
00:05:05,946 --> 00:05:07,266
the way things have worked

203
00:05:07,266 --> 00:05:08,426
historically in this

204
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state. So

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we will hear

206
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from her and

207
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and uh

208
00:05:14,576 --> 00:05:16,266
establish the the financial

209
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challenges here before we get

210
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into the operations talk.

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So Marie,

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if you would speak from the

213
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podium or wherever you're comfortable

214
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seated is fine what you

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bet, whatever you're comfortable

216
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with. I greatly appreciate

217
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your time for being

218
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here today and we'll turn it over

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to you.

220
00:05:33,757 --> 00:05:35,217
>> Well, thank you very much. I appreciate

221
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it and thank you to the chairman and

222
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members of the committee for allowing me

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to be here today.

224
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Um, I'm gonna give kind of

225
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an overview of the,

226
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well, this is really loud,

227
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the history of where

228
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522 funding came

229
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from. Um, and

230
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so if you have any questions along the way,

231
00:05:49,997 --> 00:05:51,477
please let me know, stop me

232
00:05:51,477 --> 00:05:53,236
throughout or afterwards, whatever

233
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that works for me.

234
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see if I can figure this out.

235
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OK, so going back

236
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to the background and history

237
00:06:00,067 --> 00:06:01,416
of where 522

238
00:06:01,416 --> 00:06:02,866
funding came from, it

239
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all started in 1976

240
00:06:04,866 --> 00:06:06,787
with state question 522,

241
00:06:06,787 --> 00:06:08,507
which is where the term 522

242
00:06:08,507 --> 00:06:09,946
funding came from,

243
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and that was passed by

244
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voters and it allowed the rural

245
00:06:12,967 --> 00:06:14,307
and local communities to

246
00:06:14,307 --> 00:06:15,546
establish these EMS

247
00:06:15,546 --> 00:06:17,046
districts. And

248
00:06:17,046 --> 00:06:18,366
so the passage of

249
00:06:18,366 --> 00:06:20,326
state question 522

250
00:06:20,326 --> 00:06:21,807
put in Article 10

251
00:06:21,807 --> 00:06:23,407
section 9C

252
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which gives the

253
00:06:24,926 --> 00:06:26,326
outline of how all of this

254
00:06:26,326 --> 00:06:27,766
works. And so it's

255
00:06:27,766 --> 00:06:29,646
very detailed on the,

256
00:06:29,646 --> 00:06:31,446
how the districts are formed,

257
00:06:31,446 --> 00:06:32,997
how many levy or how

258
00:06:32,997 --> 00:06:35,097
many mills they can levy

259
00:06:35,097 --> 00:06:36,766
for the operations,

260
00:06:36,766 --> 00:06:38,206
additional levies for a sinking

261
00:06:38,206 --> 00:06:39,646
fund. Um,

262
00:06:39,646 --> 00:06:41,287
it specifies that the levy

263
00:06:41,287 --> 00:06:42,886
will apply to all taxable

264
00:06:42,886 --> 00:06:44,366
property within the district,

265
00:06:44,366 --> 00:06:45,366
whether it's real or

266
00:06:45,366 --> 00:06:46,826
personal. And then

267
00:06:46,826 --> 00:06:48,266
it'll be in addition to any

268
00:06:48,266 --> 00:06:49,426
other property tax

269
00:06:49,426 --> 00:06:50,837
levies.

270
00:06:50,837 --> 00:06:52,396
And then there's also an Oklahoma

271
00:06:52,396 --> 00:06:53,916
statute that

272
00:06:53,916 --> 00:06:55,437
pertains to this, and that's in

273
00:06:55,437 --> 00:06:57,016
Title 19,

274
00:06:57,016 --> 00:06:57,356
section

275
00:06:57,356 --> 00:06:59,837
1710.1.

276
00:06:59,837 --> 00:07:01,277
It's very

277
00:07:01,277 --> 00:07:02,956
it um specifies

278
00:07:02,956 --> 00:07:04,196
that the use of those

279
00:07:04,196 --> 00:07:05,826
funds is for the

280
00:07:05,826 --> 00:07:07,916
administration of the EMS districts.

281
00:07:07,916 --> 00:07:09,477
And it also states that

282
00:07:09,477 --> 00:07:11,157
the district can operate its own

283
00:07:11,157 --> 00:07:12,557
service or it can

284
00:07:12,557 --> 00:07:14,076
contract that out. So

285
00:07:14,076 --> 00:07:15,616
those are gonna be your

286
00:07:15,616 --> 00:07:17,236
statutory and constitutional

287
00:07:17,236 --> 00:07:18,717
provisions that you'll look to if

288
00:07:18,717 --> 00:07:19,837
you want more information about

289
00:07:19,837 --> 00:07:23,217
this.

290
00:07:23,217 --> 00:07:24,646
So a little more of the

291
00:07:24,646 --> 00:07:26,407
process. So to establish

292
00:07:26,407 --> 00:07:27,926
an EMS district

293
00:07:27,926 --> 00:07:29,366
at the beginning, the

294
00:07:29,366 --> 00:07:31,037
voters have to vote that in

295
00:07:31,037 --> 00:07:32,527
and approve whatever levy

296
00:07:32,527 --> 00:07:34,247
it is. And so the constitution

297
00:07:34,247 --> 00:07:35,777
provides that the districts

298
00:07:35,777 --> 00:07:37,287
can be

299
00:07:37,287 --> 00:07:38,527
county

300
00:07:38,527 --> 00:07:40,087
boundaries, they can be

301
00:07:40,087 --> 00:07:41,606
part of a county, they can be all

302
00:07:41,606 --> 00:07:43,007
of the county, they

303
00:07:43,007 --> 00:07:44,366
can span multiple

304
00:07:44,366 --> 00:07:45,886
counties. It just depends on however

305
00:07:45,886 --> 00:07:47,446
it's set up. And so that'll

306
00:07:47,446 --> 00:07:48,997
be put forth to the voters

307
00:07:48,997 --> 00:07:50,407
at the beginning. And then

308
00:07:50,407 --> 00:07:51,847
that same vote will

309
00:07:51,847 --> 00:07:53,287
approve whatever levy that

310
00:07:53,287 --> 00:07:55,007
they want to do. and the constitution

311
00:07:55,007 --> 00:07:56,557
says for the

312
00:07:56,557 --> 00:07:57,486
operations it could be up to

313
00:07:57,486 --> 00:07:58,807
3 for

314
00:07:58,807 --> 00:07:59,886
that. And then there's

315
00:07:59,886 --> 00:08:01,366
another vote

316
00:08:01,366 --> 00:08:02,646
that they could have to do an

317
00:08:02,646 --> 00:08:04,456
additional mill.

318
00:08:04,456 --> 00:08:05,826
Up to 3. So you

319
00:08:05,826 --> 00:08:07,337
could actually have a total of 6

320
00:08:07,337 --> 00:08:08,576
mills for EMS

321
00:08:08,576 --> 00:08:10,157
funding. Typically, it

322
00:08:10,157 --> 00:08:11,497
starts with 3.

323
00:08:11,497 --> 00:08:12,856
Voters would have to approve an

324
00:08:12,856 --> 00:08:14,296
additional 3 if

325
00:08:14,296 --> 00:08:15,736
they so chose, and that

326
00:08:15,736 --> 00:08:17,416
would be for the sinking fund

327
00:08:17,416 --> 00:08:18,977
to get vehicles, equipment,

328
00:08:18,977 --> 00:08:19,977
facilities, that sort of

329
00:08:19,977 --> 00:08:21,537
thing.

330
00:08:21,537 --> 00:08:22,977
And so if voters were to

331
00:08:22,977 --> 00:08:24,456
approve that,

332
00:08:24,456 --> 00:08:25,817
then an EMS

333
00:08:25,817 --> 00:08:27,257
district board is set

334
00:08:27,257 --> 00:08:28,977
up by whatever

335
00:08:28,977 --> 00:08:30,426
local jurisdiction, say it's

336
00:08:30,426 --> 00:08:31,616
your county

337
00:08:31,616 --> 00:08:33,136
commissioners or your city

338
00:08:33,136 --> 00:08:34,576
council would set up an EMS

339
00:08:34,576 --> 00:08:36,056
district board to

340
00:08:36,056 --> 00:08:37,597
govern that EMS

341
00:08:37,597 --> 00:08:39,006
district. And so

342
00:08:39,006 --> 00:08:40,556
they would, once the voters approve

343
00:08:40,556 --> 00:08:42,287
a certain levy amount,

344
00:08:42,287 --> 00:08:43,527
that EMS district

345
00:08:43,527 --> 00:08:45,047
board then formally

346
00:08:45,047 --> 00:08:46,646
sets that levy and

347
00:08:46,646 --> 00:08:48,646
sends it over to the county clerk.

348
00:08:48,646 --> 00:08:49,826
They will then certify

349
00:08:49,826 --> 00:08:51,407
it. That then goes

350
00:08:51,407 --> 00:08:52,886
to the county assessor

351
00:08:52,886 --> 00:08:54,087
who applies it to your property

352
00:08:54,087 --> 00:08:55,927
evaluation.

353
00:08:55,927 --> 00:08:57,806
Which then goes to the county treasurer

354
00:08:57,806 --> 00:08:59,087
who sends out your annual

355
00:08:59,087 --> 00:09:00,636
property tax bills and they're

356
00:09:00,636 --> 00:09:02,037
the ones that actually collect that

357
00:09:02,037 --> 00:09:03,527
funding and send it

358
00:09:03,527 --> 00:09:05,087
to the EMS district for

359
00:09:05,087 --> 00:09:06,886
distribution and however they use it.

360
00:09:06,886 --> 00:09:08,446
So that's how the process kind of works to

361
00:09:08,446 --> 00:09:10,126
actually fund these EMS

362
00:09:10,126 --> 00:09:12,826
districts.

363
00:09:12,826 --> 00:09:14,146
Yes, >> if you if you don't

364
00:09:14,146 --> 00:09:15,547
mind just

365
00:09:15,547 --> 00:09:16,626
because

366
00:09:16,626 --> 00:09:17,787
recently

367
00:09:17,787 --> 00:09:19,826
uh Hennessy

368
00:09:19,826 --> 00:09:21,266
has requested

369
00:09:21,266 --> 00:09:22,746
and voted to set up their

370
00:09:22,746 --> 00:09:24,107
own district

371
00:09:24,107 --> 00:09:25,667
and it is

372
00:09:25,667 --> 00:09:27,297
by school district

373
00:09:27,297 --> 00:09:28,667
and I know that many of them

374
00:09:28,667 --> 00:09:30,467
are by school district

375
00:09:30,467 --> 00:09:32,977
uh.

376
00:09:32,977 --> 00:09:34,456
When your school district gets into

377
00:09:34,456 --> 00:09:36,297
multiple counties,

378
00:09:36,297 --> 00:09:38,806
uh,

379
00:09:38,806 --> 00:09:40,287
In, in this particular case,

380
00:09:40,287 --> 00:09:41,927
I guess my question is there, there's

381
00:09:41,927 --> 00:09:43,487
there's only a, a

382
00:09:43,487 --> 00:09:45,087
very, very small

383
00:09:45,087 --> 00:09:46,646
number of folks that

384
00:09:46,646 --> 00:09:48,487
are in an outlying county

385
00:09:48,487 --> 00:09:50,047
that were omitted from

386
00:09:50,047 --> 00:09:51,646
the original question and

387
00:09:51,646 --> 00:09:52,847
so they're going to have to

388
00:09:52,847 --> 00:09:53,686
have

389
00:09:53,686 --> 00:09:55,407
a,

390
00:09:55,407 --> 00:09:56,806
additional vote, I

391
00:09:56,806 --> 00:09:58,506
believe, for that particular,

392
00:09:58,506 --> 00:10:00,206
uh, section

393
00:10:00,206 --> 00:10:01,686
of the neighboring county

394
00:10:01,686 --> 00:10:02,256
in the school

395
00:10:02,256 --> 00:10:04,626
district.

396
00:10:04,626 --> 00:10:06,027
If that doesn't pass

397
00:10:06,027 --> 00:10:07,587
by those handful of voters

398
00:10:07,587 --> 00:10:08,907
there,

399
00:10:08,907 --> 00:10:10,146
then they can

400
00:10:10,146 --> 00:10:11,576
continue to

401
00:10:11,576 --> 00:10:12,896
form the district

402
00:10:12,896 --> 00:10:14,467
without that portion of

403
00:10:14,467 --> 00:10:16,097
the county. Is that >> correct?

404
00:10:16,097 --> 00:10:17,306
Yes, I believe

405
00:10:17,306 --> 00:10:18,547
so. >> All right, thank

406
00:10:18,547 --> 00:10:21,797
>> you.

407
00:10:21,797 --> 00:10:23,316
On it is when

408
00:10:23,316 --> 00:10:24,636
they do these votes for the

409
00:10:24,636 --> 00:10:26,027
county, is it

410
00:10:26,027 --> 00:10:27,487
just for EMS or is it

411
00:10:27,487 --> 00:10:29,027
like for all like

412
00:10:29,027 --> 00:10:30,477
volunteer fire departments and

413
00:10:30,477 --> 00:10:32,157
everything involved in this?

414
00:10:32,157 --> 00:10:33,477
>> Well, when they do this vote

415
00:10:33,477 --> 00:10:35,076
specifically, it's for the EMS

416
00:10:35,076 --> 00:10:36,756
district levy

417
00:10:36,756 --> 00:10:38,277
and to form that district. I think

418
00:10:38,277 --> 00:10:39,597
if there was an additional like

419
00:10:39,597 --> 00:10:41,037
fire tax or

420
00:10:41,037 --> 00:10:42,357
anything like that, it'd be an additional

421
00:10:42,357 --> 00:10:43,876
vote. or I guess if they

422
00:10:43,876 --> 00:10:45,436
combined it, I don't know how that

423
00:10:45,436 --> 00:10:47,016
works exactly.

424
00:10:47,016 --> 00:10:48,977
>> Can, can I assume.

425
00:10:48,977 --> 00:10:50,576
Today in talking about

426
00:10:50,576 --> 00:10:51,777
this EMS

427
00:10:51,777 --> 00:10:53,256
district for our

428
00:10:53,256 --> 00:10:54,737
purpose here this morning

429
00:10:54,737 --> 00:10:56,376
we're just talking about ambulance

430
00:10:56,376 --> 00:10:57,816
service, >> correct? Yes,

431
00:10:57,816 --> 00:10:58,936
that's what I'm talking about it's just

432
00:10:58,936 --> 00:11:01,347
EMS.

433
00:11:01,347 --> 00:11:02,886
>> We've got a couple of a couple of

434
00:11:02,886 --> 00:11:03,626
questions for you,

435
00:11:03,626 --> 00:11:05,256
um.

436
00:11:05,256 --> 00:11:07,016
When, when you're talking about this,

437
00:11:07,016 --> 00:11:08,657
this vote and this levy,

438
00:11:08,657 --> 00:11:10,217
you're, you're going back to

439
00:11:10,217 --> 00:11:11,737
the landowners, right?

440
00:11:11,737 --> 00:11:13,217
as the ones that are

441
00:11:13,217 --> 00:11:14,737
going to pay the bill, is

442
00:11:14,737 --> 00:11:16,246
that correct? now is that in

443
00:11:16,246 --> 00:11:18,177
the constitution or

444
00:11:18,177 --> 00:11:19,777
is that something that instead of

445
00:11:19,777 --> 00:11:21,297
doing a ad valorum

446
00:11:21,297 --> 00:11:22,337
we could do a sales

447
00:11:22,337 --> 00:11:23,886
tax? >> There is

448
00:11:23,886 --> 00:11:25,407
a statute about sales tax, and

449
00:11:25,407 --> 00:11:26,967
I have a slide at the very end

450
00:11:26,967 --> 00:11:28,487
about that, uh, but this

451
00:11:28,487 --> 00:11:29,727
one is talking about property

452
00:11:29,727 --> 00:11:31,326
tax. This 522

453
00:11:31,326 --> 00:11:32,946
funding is a property tax

454
00:11:32,946 --> 00:11:34,487
and the voters

455
00:11:34,487 --> 00:11:35,927
or the property owners that

456
00:11:35,927 --> 00:11:37,246
live within whatever district

457
00:11:37,246 --> 00:11:38,876
boundaries they're doing are

458
00:11:38,876 --> 00:11:40,566
are the ones that would vote for it.

459
00:11:40,566 --> 00:11:42,326
>> But you, it is,

460
00:11:42,326 --> 00:11:43,848
it is in the Constitution

461
00:11:43,848 --> 00:11:45,049
that we can do a sales

462
00:11:45,049 --> 00:11:46,488
tax basically,

463
00:11:46,488 --> 00:11:47,929
basically for the same thing. is that

464
00:11:47,929 --> 00:11:49,408
>> correct? There's a statute that says

465
00:11:49,408 --> 00:11:50,799
we can do the >> statute says,

466
00:11:50,799 --> 00:11:52,208
OK, you mentioned

467
00:11:52,208 --> 00:11:53,729
something. I don't know if it's going to be you

468
00:11:53,729 --> 00:11:55,249
or somebody else, but

469
00:11:55,249 --> 00:11:56,819
when, uh,

470
00:11:56,819 --> 00:11:58,649
Rep Debrinski was talking about,

471
00:11:58,649 --> 00:12:00,059
you know, the, the county

472
00:12:00,059 --> 00:12:01,288
voting and certain people

473
00:12:01,288 --> 00:12:02,889
not, not in that

474
00:12:02,889 --> 00:12:04,499
vote. Um,

475
00:12:04,499 --> 00:12:06,018
as far as the ambulance service, and

476
00:12:06,018 --> 00:12:07,379
this may not be something for

477
00:12:07,379 --> 00:12:09,059
you, but an ambulance

478
00:12:09,059 --> 00:12:10,678
service can't turn

479
00:12:10,678 --> 00:12:11,939
down a call for

480
00:12:11,939 --> 00:12:13,459
service, is that correct? or do

481
00:12:13,459 --> 00:12:14,178
you even, >> I don't

482
00:12:14,178 --> 00:12:16,498
know,

483
00:12:16,498 --> 00:12:17,969
>> I'll get that question out to somebody else.

484
00:12:17,969 --> 00:12:18,099
Thank

485
00:12:18,099 --> 00:12:21,669
you.

486
00:12:21,669 --> 00:12:24,478
>> Alright.

487
00:12:24,478 --> 00:12:25,998
So the next slide I have kind

488
00:12:25,998 --> 00:12:27,399
of discusses more about the

489
00:12:27,399 --> 00:12:29,198
levy itself,

490
00:12:29,198 --> 00:12:30,529
and so, and this may be very

491
00:12:30,529 --> 00:12:31,959
basic, but

492
00:12:31,959 --> 00:12:33,358
I actually did not know what a

493
00:12:33,358 --> 00:12:34,399
mill is

494
00:12:34,399 --> 00:12:35,959
specifically, and so I

495
00:12:35,959 --> 00:12:37,459
put up here the mill is

496
00:12:37,459 --> 00:12:38,959
$1 of tax for every

497
00:12:38,959 --> 00:12:40,318
$1000 of a

498
00:12:40,318 --> 00:12:42,319
property's assessed value.

499
00:12:42,319 --> 00:12:43,779
so that's actually the definition

500
00:12:43,779 --> 00:12:45,069
and In the

501
00:12:45,069 --> 00:12:46,548
Constitution, it sets out that

502
00:12:46,548 --> 00:12:47,868
there's a max of 3

503
00:12:47,868 --> 00:12:49,268
mills for the operation. So

504
00:12:49,268 --> 00:12:50,819
3 mils would then be

505
00:12:50,819 --> 00:12:52,709
0.003

506
00:12:52,709 --> 00:12:53,898
for your calculation or

507
00:12:53,898 --> 00:12:55,389
0.3%.

508
00:12:55,389 --> 00:12:56,578
So, just some background on

509
00:12:56,578 --> 00:12:57,948
that. And like I

510
00:12:57,948 --> 00:12:59,228
said before, there is a

511
00:12:59,228 --> 00:13:00,268
max that can be

512
00:13:00,268 --> 00:13:01,754
levied. And for the

513
00:13:01,754 --> 00:13:03,234
just operations, the initial

514
00:13:03,234 --> 00:13:04,843
vote, it can be up to 3

515
00:13:04,843 --> 00:13:06,463
and then they can do an additional

516
00:13:06,463 --> 00:13:07,914
up to 3. It doesn't have to

517
00:13:07,914 --> 00:13:09,514
be 3,

518
00:13:09,514 --> 00:13:11,393
for a sinking fund

519
00:13:11,393 --> 00:13:12,914
for a total of 6, it could be. I don't

520
00:13:12,914 --> 00:13:14,434
think any of them currently

521
00:13:14,434 --> 00:13:15,944
have a total of 6, but I

522
00:13:15,944 --> 00:13:17,554
have a slide kind of showing

523
00:13:17,554 --> 00:13:18,923
the different,

524
00:13:18,923 --> 00:13:19,514
different ones they

525
00:13:19,514 --> 00:13:21,919
have.

526
00:13:21,919 --> 00:13:23,518
And so what does this mean for property

527
00:13:23,518 --> 00:13:25,078
owners? I want to give an example of

528
00:13:25,078 --> 00:13:26,118
how this would actually

529
00:13:26,118 --> 00:13:27,999
affect your

530
00:13:27,999 --> 00:13:29,478
property tax or how

531
00:13:29,478 --> 00:13:30,948
it would be calculated based on your

532
00:13:30,948 --> 00:13:32,478
properties. So if you had a

533
00:13:32,478 --> 00:13:33,679
fair market value of

534
00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,198
$100,000 for your house,

535
00:13:35,198 --> 00:13:36,718
and this example shows with a

536
00:13:36,718 --> 00:13:38,359
 exemption and without,

537
00:13:38,359 --> 00:13:39,999
just to give an example,

538
00:13:39,999 --> 00:13:41,559
um, and so each county has

539
00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,158
a different assessment

540
00:13:43,158 --> 00:13:44,618
ratio. It's between 10

541
00:13:44,618 --> 00:13:46,069
and 15% depending on

542
00:13:46,069 --> 00:13:47,638
your county. In my

543
00:13:47,638 --> 00:13:49,438
example, I picked 11%,

544
00:13:49,438 --> 00:13:50,839
and so your

545
00:13:50,839 --> 00:13:52,158
assessment ratio is going to be

546
00:13:52,158 --> 00:13:53,798
applied to your fair market value

547
00:13:53,798 --> 00:13:55,358
of your home.

548
00:13:55,358 --> 00:13:56,638
And that will give you in

549
00:13:56,638 --> 00:13:57,798
this example,

550
00:13:57,798 --> 00:13:59,308
$11,000. And then

551
00:13:59,308 --> 00:14:00,998
you would subtract the most

552
00:14:00,998 --> 00:14:02,399
we any exemptions you

553
00:14:02,399 --> 00:14:04,069
had. So the most common is your 

554
00:14:04,069 --> 00:14:05,509
exemption. And so if you

555
00:14:05,509 --> 00:14:07,069
had that, you would subtract

556
00:14:07,069 --> 00:14:08,839
$1000 from your assessed

557
00:14:08,839 --> 00:14:09,679
value, giving you

558
00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:11,319
$10,000

559
00:14:11,319 --> 00:14:12,839
in this example.

560
00:14:12,839 --> 00:14:14,119
And so your EMS

561
00:14:14,119 --> 00:14:15,388
district tax is going to be

562
00:14:15,388 --> 00:14:16,578
applied to whatever your

563
00:14:16,578 --> 00:14:18,278
net taxable assessed

564
00:14:18,278 --> 00:14:19,789
value is. And so then you

565
00:14:19,789 --> 00:14:21,998
would apply that 0.003

566
00:14:21,998 --> 00:14:23,658
calculation.

567
00:14:23,658 --> 00:14:25,179
And for a $100,000 fair

568
00:14:25,179 --> 00:14:26,629
market value house, you would have a

569
00:14:26,629 --> 00:14:28,149
$33 tax if

570
00:14:28,149 --> 00:14:29,429
you did not have the 

571
00:14:29,429 --> 00:14:31,229
exemption or $30

572
00:14:31,229 --> 00:14:32,668
if you did. So, it

573
00:14:32,668 --> 00:14:34,018
just gives you an example of how much that

574
00:14:34,018 --> 00:14:35,028
actually comes out to

575
00:14:35,028 --> 00:14:36,539
be. There is a

576
00:14:36,539 --> 00:14:38,158
caveat to

577
00:14:38,158 --> 00:14:39,589
DAV exemptions. Somebody

578
00:14:39,589 --> 00:14:41,108
asked me this in

579
00:14:41,108 --> 00:14:42,989
the past.

580
00:14:42,989 --> 00:14:44,468
Situation and so I want

581
00:14:44,468 --> 00:14:45,989
to just point it out.

582
00:14:45,989 --> 00:14:47,548
sometimes you have 100% disabled

583
00:14:47,548 --> 00:14:49,108
veterans in your counties,

584
00:14:49,108 --> 00:14:50,589
they don't pay any property tax,

585
00:14:50,589 --> 00:14:51,828
they're fully exempt.

586
00:14:51,828 --> 00:14:53,388
However, they would still

587
00:14:53,388 --> 00:14:54,989
need to pay the EMS

588
00:14:54,989 --> 00:14:56,548
district tax or if there's any

589
00:14:56,548 --> 00:14:58,069
other special district tax, they're still

590
00:14:58,069 --> 00:14:59,629
responsible for that,

591
00:14:59,629 --> 00:15:00,349
just for your

592
00:15:00,349 --> 00:15:03,268
information.

593
00:15:03,268 --> 00:15:04,668
OK, so now getting into some

594
00:15:04,668 --> 00:15:06,119
data. This is

595
00:15:06,119 --> 00:15:08,058
a map of Oklahoma.

596
00:15:08,058 --> 00:15:08,908
let's make sure I brought my

597
00:15:08,908 --> 00:15:10,408
counties.

598
00:15:10,408 --> 00:15:11,879
it is. I'm pretty sure

599
00:15:11,879 --> 00:15:13,399
I did actually print out the counties so in

600
00:15:13,399 --> 00:15:14,718
case somebody asked me what they are, I

601
00:15:14,718 --> 00:15:16,399
can figure it out.

602
00:15:16,399 --> 00:15:17,998
Um, so in this map

603
00:15:17,998 --> 00:15:20,298
it shows

604
00:15:20,298 --> 00:15:21,658
The EMS districts

605
00:15:21,658 --> 00:15:23,218
that cover that county.

606
00:15:23,218 --> 00:15:24,858
So like I said before, not

607
00:15:24,858 --> 00:15:26,218
all EMS districts

608
00:15:26,218 --> 00:15:27,778
are the extent of the county

609
00:15:27,778 --> 00:15:29,218
boundary lines,

610
00:15:29,218 --> 00:15:30,578
but this map

611
00:15:30,578 --> 00:15:32,268
shows,

612
00:15:32,268 --> 00:15:33,558
If a county has one

613
00:15:33,558 --> 00:15:34,998
EMS district, it's going to be

614
00:15:34,998 --> 00:15:36,638
in that lightest orange.

615
00:15:36,638 --> 00:15:38,069
The white is none. So there are a

616
00:15:38,069 --> 00:15:39,438
few counties that don't have an actual

617
00:15:39,438 --> 00:15:40,959
EMS district. doesn't

618
00:15:40,959 --> 00:15:42,498
mean they don't have EMS. Their

619
00:15:42,498 --> 00:15:44,289
county may fund it differently.

620
00:15:44,289 --> 00:15:45,638
This just means these counties

621
00:15:45,638 --> 00:15:47,108
actually have an EMS district

622
00:15:47,108 --> 00:15:48,679
that's been voted by the

623
00:15:48,679 --> 00:15:50,119
people. And as your

624
00:15:50,119 --> 00:15:51,528
orange gets darker.

625
00:15:51,528 --> 00:15:53,009
It means that county

626
00:15:53,009 --> 00:15:54,528
has more EMS districts

627
00:15:54,528 --> 00:15:56,129
that cover it. It doesn't

628
00:15:56,129 --> 00:15:57,919
mean those districts overlap.

629
00:15:57,919 --> 00:15:59,408
It just means that that county has

630
00:15:59,408 --> 00:16:00,849
more than one that operates

631
00:16:00,849 --> 00:16:02,359
within that county, if that makes

632
00:16:02,359 --> 00:16:03,449
>> sense. for

633
00:16:03,449 --> 00:16:05,208
transparency purposes

634
00:16:05,208 --> 00:16:06,569
here, Representative

635
00:16:06,569 --> 00:16:08,169
Debrinski represents

636
00:16:08,169 --> 00:16:09,678
Blaine and Dewey

637
00:16:09,678 --> 00:16:11,449
counties up there

638
00:16:11,449 --> 00:16:12,928
along with that's

639
00:16:12,928 --> 00:16:14,208
the black or close to

640
00:16:14,208 --> 00:16:15,849
black, uh,

641
00:16:15,849 --> 00:16:17,449
along with Kingfisher, Woodward,

642
00:16:17,449 --> 00:16:18,908
and Garfield, so.

643
00:16:18,908 --> 00:16:20,829
I, I have a little diversity

644
00:16:20,829 --> 00:16:22,079
out there among my

645
00:16:22,079 --> 00:16:23,428
folks. >> There's quite a few in

646
00:16:23,428 --> 00:16:25,148
there. >> That's, that's

647
00:16:25,148 --> 00:16:26,629
my question. How come

648
00:16:26,629 --> 00:16:28,248
your district is so dark

649
00:16:28,248 --> 00:16:29,329
because there's >> so many

650
00:16:29,329 --> 00:16:30,748
districts, >> so

651
00:16:30,748 --> 00:16:31,639
many what

652
00:16:31,639 --> 00:16:33,338
districts

653
00:16:33,338 --> 00:16:39,248
population.

654
00:16:39,248 --> 00:16:40,729
>> I've, I've got more

655
00:16:40,729 --> 00:16:42,308
of the

656
00:16:42,308 --> 00:16:43,799
sparsely populated

657
00:16:43,799 --> 00:16:45,088
counties, but I do

658
00:16:45,088 --> 00:16:46,539
have quite the number

659
00:16:46,539 --> 00:16:48,169
of E ems districts

660
00:16:48,169 --> 00:16:49,688
out there, >> even

661
00:16:49,688 --> 00:16:51,169
comparing to Oklahoma's counties.

662
00:16:51,169 --> 00:16:53,118
So I mean

663
00:16:53,118 --> 00:16:54,129
up in Tulsa. I, I

664
00:16:54,129 --> 00:16:56,049
just,

665
00:16:56,049 --> 00:16:57,928
>> so Oklahoma,

666
00:16:57,928 --> 00:16:58,488
Oklahoma

667
00:16:58,488 --> 00:17:00,658
County.

668
00:17:00,658 --> 00:17:01,259
Has

669
00:17:01,259 --> 00:17:03,718
one

670
00:17:03,718 --> 00:17:05,259
district countywide have does not have an EMS district

671
00:17:05,259 --> 00:17:06,859
at all. correct?

672
00:17:06,859 --> 00:17:08,099
>> I don't know if this has a laser at the

673
00:17:08,099 --> 00:17:09,558
end.

674
00:17:09,558 --> 00:17:10,799
>> The, the key up

675
00:17:10,799 --> 00:17:12,308
there, uh, your, your

676
00:17:12,308 --> 00:17:13,639
scale 11 through

677
00:17:13,639 --> 00:17:15,229
5 there, it's

678
00:17:15,229 --> 00:17:16,678
a little hard to see,

679
00:17:16,678 --> 00:17:18,238
but obviously the >> lighter,

680
00:17:18,238 --> 00:17:20,208
I'm getting it, I mean

681
00:17:20,208 --> 00:17:21,759
>> the ones in white do not have any

682
00:17:21,759 --> 00:17:23,558
EMS districts and so your square

683
00:17:23,558 --> 00:17:25,308
right in the middle is Oklahoma

684
00:17:25,308 --> 00:17:26,829
County. That has nothing >> to do

685
00:17:26,829 --> 00:17:28,319
with with populations.

686
00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:29,639
That's just the number of

687
00:17:29,639 --> 00:17:31,199
districts per >> county. I

688
00:17:31,199 --> 00:17:32,718
mean, it's crazy for Pittsburgh

689
00:17:32,718 --> 00:17:34,319
County. I mean,

690
00:17:34,319 --> 00:17:35,799
especially with Highway 69 >> going

691
00:17:35,799 --> 00:17:39,088
through.

692
00:17:39,088 --> 00:17:40,609
And just a couple of numbers for

693
00:17:40,609 --> 00:17:42,049
your reference. there's 67

694
00:17:42,049 --> 00:17:43,808
total EMS districts.

695
00:17:43,808 --> 00:17:45,289
I don't have a map that shows

696
00:17:45,289 --> 00:17:46,648
what they cover.

697
00:17:46,648 --> 00:17:47,958
Um, we don't collect that at tax

698
00:17:47,958 --> 00:17:49,329
commission, so I wasn't able to provide

699
00:17:49,329 --> 00:17:50,488
that. Um, there are

700
00:17:50,488 --> 00:17:51,528
38

701
00:17:51,528 --> 00:17:53,139
county-based E ems

702
00:17:53,139 --> 00:17:54,488
so when I look at them, they say

703
00:17:54,488 --> 00:17:55,599
likellis.

704
00:17:55,599 --> 00:17:57,199
Tulsa

705
00:17:57,199 --> 00:17:58,789
County EMS and then there's

706
00:17:58,789 --> 00:18:00,349
20 city-based E

707
00:18:00,349 --> 00:18:01,958
ems districts, meaning the name

708
00:18:01,958 --> 00:18:03,408
indicated a city. I don't know

709
00:18:03,408 --> 00:18:04,958
if that's the boundary or not, but that's

710
00:18:04,958 --> 00:18:06,718
just, it was a city-based

711
00:18:06,718 --> 00:18:08,199
EMS district and

712
00:18:08,199 --> 00:18:09,829
then 11 of the districts

713
00:18:09,829 --> 00:18:11,278
as a whole cover more than

714
00:18:11,278 --> 00:18:13,579
one county.

715
00:18:13,579 --> 00:18:16,819
So

716
00:18:16,819 --> 00:18:18,308
>> Can you yes Can

717
00:18:18,308 --> 00:18:20,019
you define

718
00:18:20,019 --> 00:18:21,468
the district? I mean,

719
00:18:21,468 --> 00:18:22,829
you've got Adair County as

720
00:18:22,829 --> 00:18:23,988
having no

721
00:18:23,988 --> 00:18:25,509
district, but the

722
00:18:25,509 --> 00:18:27,069
commissioners have set up we

723
00:18:27,069 --> 00:18:28,588
do have an ambulance service in

724
00:18:28,588 --> 00:18:29,988
Adair County that

725
00:18:29,988 --> 00:18:31,458
we've had for the last

726
00:18:31,458 --> 00:18:33,408
4 or 5 years.

727
00:18:33,408 --> 00:18:34,778
>> It may be funded by your

728
00:18:34,778 --> 00:18:36,178
county, not an EMS

729
00:18:36,178 --> 00:18:38,199
district specifically.

730
00:18:38,199 --> 00:18:39,718
>> Yes, OK, OK, yes, it is

731
00:18:39,718 --> 00:18:41,398
funded by the county and Cherokee Nation.

732
00:18:41,398 --> 00:18:42,928
>> Thank you and that could be why. same with Oklahoma

733
00:18:42,928 --> 00:18:44,329
County. they have EMS

734
00:18:44,329 --> 00:18:45,849
and ambulance services.

735
00:18:45,849 --> 00:18:47,289
It's just not funded through

736
00:18:47,289 --> 00:18:49,509
this mechanism.

737
00:18:49,509 --> 00:18:51,308
>> And with, with your designations,

738
00:18:51,308 --> 00:18:53,359
they're saying there are 38

739
00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:54,389
county

740
00:18:54,389 --> 00:18:55,938
districts.

741
00:18:55,938 --> 00:18:57,178
By by title >> by

742
00:18:57,178 --> 00:18:58,699
title >> you will

743
00:18:58,699 --> 00:19:00,498
you will see, you will see Blaine,

744
00:19:00,498 --> 00:19:01,678
you will see Blaine County

745
00:19:01,678 --> 00:19:03,299
EMS and then there's

746
00:19:03,299 --> 00:19:04,419
Okeen

747
00:19:04,419 --> 00:19:05,738
Canton and

748
00:19:05,738 --> 00:19:06,898
Gary

749
00:19:06,898 --> 00:19:09,129
so.

750
00:19:09,129 --> 00:19:10,849
If, if, if a,

751
00:19:10,849 --> 00:19:12,488
if the title says it's a county,

752
00:19:12,488 --> 00:19:13,968
you would assume

753
00:19:13,968 --> 00:19:15,408
that it's covering the county, but that's

754
00:19:15,408 --> 00:19:17,009
not always the >> case. I would assume

755
00:19:17,009 --> 00:19:18,928
so, but I don't have like the,

756
00:19:18,928 --> 00:19:20,528
the boundary map or

757
00:19:20,528 --> 00:19:21,928
anything for that. I'm just showing by

758
00:19:21,928 --> 00:19:23,528
county which ones

759
00:19:23,528 --> 00:19:24,849
have that certain number of EMS

760
00:19:24,849 --> 00:19:28,569
districts.

761
00:19:28,569 --> 00:19:30,009
Here are some numbers of

762
00:19:30,009 --> 00:19:31,519
total collections over the

763
00:19:31,519 --> 00:19:32,968
entire state and this

764
00:19:32,968 --> 00:19:34,528
is estimated information. I

765
00:19:34,528 --> 00:19:36,129
will caveat with that. So whenever

766
00:19:36,129 --> 00:19:37,609
Oklahoma Tax Commission

767
00:19:37,609 --> 00:19:39,238
collects the

768
00:19:39,238 --> 00:19:40,928
information from the counties, it is

769
00:19:40,928 --> 00:19:42,519
prior to the actual

770
00:19:42,519 --> 00:19:44,009
tax collections I learned

771
00:19:44,009 --> 00:19:45,569
this, um, and so

772
00:19:45,569 --> 00:19:46,968
these are just estimated what

773
00:19:46,968 --> 00:19:48,609
they think. they will collect,

774
00:19:48,609 --> 00:19:49,859
it is not actual

775
00:19:49,859 --> 00:19:51,419
collections. To get that we would have to

776
00:19:51,419 --> 00:19:52,938
talk to each different county to figure that

777
00:19:52,938 --> 00:19:54,618
out. So just want to caveat

778
00:19:54,618 --> 00:19:56,208
that it could vary

779
00:19:56,208 --> 00:19:57,699
a little bit if you went to

780
00:19:57,699 --> 00:19:59,688
each county and found out their

781
00:19:59,688 --> 00:20:01,218
information, but these are general

782
00:20:01,218 --> 00:20:02,778
estimated tax collections over

783
00:20:02,778 --> 00:20:04,579
the past 5 years.

784
00:20:04,579 --> 00:20:05,778
Um, just want to show it's been

785
00:20:05,778 --> 00:20:08,188
increasing.

786
00:20:08,188 --> 00:20:09,678
So in case you're interested, went

787
00:20:09,678 --> 00:20:11,118
from about 27.3

788
00:20:11,118 --> 00:20:13,038
million in 2020

789
00:20:13,038 --> 00:20:14,668
for the entire state up to

790
00:20:14,668 --> 00:20:14,798
about

791
00:20:14,798 --> 00:20:17,998
37.2.

792
00:20:17,998 --> 00:20:19,368
And that is over the past 5

793
00:20:19,368 --> 00:20:20,858
years.

794
00:20:20,858 --> 00:20:22,259
Whereas this map, so

795
00:20:22,259 --> 00:20:23,779
this is a map

796
00:20:23,779 --> 00:20:25,259
to show

797
00:20:25,259 --> 00:20:27,298
the actual levee,

798
00:20:27,298 --> 00:20:28,779
so what mills is

799
00:20:28,779 --> 00:20:29,808
located in each

800
00:20:29,808 --> 00:20:31,459
county. Um,

801
00:20:31,459 --> 00:20:32,899
like I said, each district may

802
00:20:32,899 --> 00:20:34,339
cover more than one, but this

803
00:20:34,339 --> 00:20:36,248
is the average mills

804
00:20:36,248 --> 00:20:37,858
levied in each county

805
00:20:37,858 --> 00:20:39,379
over the past two years. this

806
00:20:39,379 --> 00:20:40,038
is 25 and

807
00:20:40,038 --> 00:20:42,188
26.

808
00:20:42,188 --> 00:20:43,709
And so you can see the

809
00:20:43,709 --> 00:20:45,308
ones in white, again, don't

810
00:20:45,308 --> 00:20:46,788
have an E ems district.

811
00:20:46,788 --> 00:20:48,228
And then as your greens get

812
00:20:48,228 --> 00:20:49,668
darker, the mill

813
00:20:49,668 --> 00:20:51,228
levy gets higher. And

814
00:20:51,228 --> 00:20:52,748
so the ones that are in the lightest

815
00:20:52,748 --> 00:20:54,348
green have under 3

816
00:20:54,348 --> 00:20:55,868
mills. So they probably only

817
00:20:55,868 --> 00:20:56,868
have that operating

818
00:20:56,868 --> 00:20:57,909
fund,

819
00:20:57,909 --> 00:20:59,639
um,

820
00:20:59,639 --> 00:21:01,108
The first vote you can have where

821
00:21:01,108 --> 00:21:02,798
it's up to 3. So

822
00:21:02,798 --> 00:21:04,319
for whatever reason, they didn't put it

823
00:21:04,319 --> 00:21:05,759
all the way to 3. And

824
00:21:05,759 --> 00:21:07,348
then there's in the next, it's

825
00:21:07,348 --> 00:21:09,279
3 to 3.1,

826
00:21:09,279 --> 00:21:10,798
and then the next darkest green is

827
00:21:10,798 --> 00:21:12,399
3.26

828
00:21:12,399 --> 00:21:14,118
to 3.35,

829
00:21:14,118 --> 00:21:15,668
and then the very darkest green

830
00:21:15,668 --> 00:21:16,959
is over 3.5

831
00:21:16,959 --> 00:21:18,579
mils.

832
00:21:18,579 --> 00:21:20,089
So it gives you an idea of where

833
00:21:20,089 --> 00:21:21,808
the levies are the highest,

834
00:21:21,808 --> 00:21:23,209
which is interesting when you compare

835
00:21:23,209 --> 00:21:24,368
it to our my next

836
00:21:24,368 --> 00:21:26,308
map

837
00:21:26,308 --> 00:21:27,569
is the actual collections per

838
00:21:27,569 --> 00:21:29,048
county and you can

839
00:21:29,048 --> 00:21:30,608
see the darkest colors of

840
00:21:30,608 --> 00:21:31,608
each do not

841
00:21:31,608 --> 00:21:33,069
coincide.

842
00:21:33,069 --> 00:21:34,498
So your highest levies

843
00:21:34,498 --> 00:21:35,909
don't actually collect the

844
00:21:35,909 --> 00:21:36,949
most

845
00:21:36,949 --> 00:21:38,469
tax, and that could

846
00:21:38,469 --> 00:21:40,219
be for a variety of reasons.

847
00:21:40,219 --> 00:21:41,668
One of them might be your valuations

848
00:21:41,668 --> 00:21:43,589
are higher in certain counties.

849
00:21:43,589 --> 00:21:45,308
I'm just looking at southeast Oklahoma,

850
00:21:45,308 --> 00:21:46,949
you've got all the broken

851
00:21:46,949 --> 00:21:48,379
bow cabins, higher

852
00:21:48,379 --> 00:21:49,788
valuation, so their

853
00:21:49,788 --> 00:21:51,269
tax is going to be a little bit higher that

854
00:21:51,269 --> 00:21:52,748
could contribute.

855
00:21:52,748 --> 00:21:54,389
So, this map

856
00:21:54,389 --> 00:21:55,788
shows over the past 5

857
00:21:55,788 --> 00:21:57,509
years, the average

858
00:21:57,509 --> 00:21:59,149
collections by county.

859
00:21:59,149 --> 00:22:00,548
Again, it's not by EMS

860
00:22:00,548 --> 00:22:01,629
district, this is by

861
00:22:01,629 --> 00:22:04,879
county.

862
00:22:04,879 --> 00:22:06,459
And there's 2 counties

863
00:22:06,459 --> 00:22:07,959
that have asterisks.

864
00:22:07,959 --> 00:22:08,918
Let me see, Grant

865
00:22:08,918 --> 00:22:10,319
County

866
00:22:10,319 --> 00:22:12,418
and

867
00:22:12,418 --> 00:22:13,779
You think I know this, Lincoln

868
00:22:13,779 --> 00:22:15,139
County, and that's only for

869
00:22:15,139 --> 00:22:16,699
2025 because they

870
00:22:16,699 --> 00:22:17,978
were most recently put in in

871
00:22:17,978 --> 00:22:19,938
2025.

872
00:22:19,938 --> 00:22:21,449
So those two is just

873
00:22:21,449 --> 00:22:22,728
based on 2025

874
00:22:22,728 --> 00:22:25,348
data.

875
00:22:25,348 --> 00:22:27,519
>> Got a question here

876
00:22:27,519 --> 00:22:28,918
This is a lot of good

877
00:22:28,918 --> 00:22:30,368
information. Can you email

878
00:22:30,368 --> 00:22:32,248
that to us?

879
00:22:32,248 --> 00:22:33,808
if you would, I'd really appreciate it because I'd

880
00:22:33,808 --> 00:22:35,279
like to get it back to to our

881
00:22:35,279 --> 00:22:36,649
county. thank

882
00:22:36,649 --> 00:22:39,998
you.

883
00:22:39,998 --> 00:22:41,519
>> And the last slide I have

884
00:22:41,519 --> 00:22:42,959
kind of going back to what you were

885
00:22:42,959 --> 00:22:44,478
talking about, um, with

886
00:22:44,478 --> 00:22:45,918
the sales tax. So there

887
00:22:45,918 --> 00:22:47,238
are 2 additional

888
00:22:47,238 --> 00:22:48,949
funding for

889
00:22:48,949 --> 00:22:50,558
520 or 4

890
00:22:50,558 --> 00:22:51,988
EMS districts that I was

891
00:22:51,988 --> 00:22:53,509
able to find. Um, one

892
00:22:53,509 --> 00:22:55,428
is in Title 63,

893
00:22:55,428 --> 00:22:57,129
and it's a revolving fund

894
00:22:57,129 --> 00:22:58,548
that gets apportionment from

895
00:22:58,548 --> 00:23:00,029
tobacco tax.

896
00:23:00,029 --> 00:23:01,308
Um, so I looked at the

897
00:23:01,308 --> 00:23:02,829
numbers and it gets approximately

898
00:23:02,829 --> 00:23:04,298
$1.5 million

899
00:23:04,298 --> 00:23:05,788
annually, and I tried to

900
00:23:05,788 --> 00:23:07,188
do a little research into how that

901
00:23:07,188 --> 00:23:08,688
is disbursed and it looks

902
00:23:08,688 --> 00:23:10,108
like the commissioner

903
00:23:10,108 --> 00:23:11,618
of health takes

904
00:23:11,618 --> 00:23:13,069
applications for that and

905
00:23:13,069 --> 00:23:14,428
then divvies it out.

906
00:23:14,428 --> 00:23:15,949
However, I don't know how they do it, but that

907
00:23:15,949 --> 00:23:17,509
is an, um, another

908
00:23:17,509 --> 00:23:19,459
funding source.

909
00:23:19,459 --> 00:23:20,422
Yes.

910
00:23:20,422 --> 00:23:22,061
OK. Um,

911
00:23:22,061 --> 00:23:23,382
and then there's also a

912
00:23:23,382 --> 00:23:24,901
sales tax option

913
00:23:24,901 --> 00:23:26,461
in Title 68

914
00:23:26,461 --> 00:23:27,982
where a county can vote to levy

915
00:23:27,982 --> 00:23:29,302
a sales tax not to

916
00:23:29,302 --> 00:23:30,501
equal, not to exceed

917
00:23:30,501 --> 00:23:31,651
1% on the gross

918
00:23:31,651 --> 00:23:33,182
proceeds, um, that would

919
00:23:33,182 --> 00:23:34,581
be used solely for funding

920
00:23:34,581 --> 00:23:36,131
EMS.

921
00:23:36,131 --> 00:23:38,522
So

922
00:23:38,522 --> 00:23:39,971
Those are two additional funding

923
00:23:39,971 --> 00:23:40,651
options I wanted to point

924
00:23:40,651 --> 00:23:42,381
out.

925
00:23:42,381 --> 00:23:43,862
And that is all I have for

926
00:23:43,862 --> 00:23:46,251
my presentation.

927
00:23:46,251 --> 00:23:47,971
If anyone has any questions,

928
00:23:47,971 --> 00:23:49,401
happy to take them, or I can stick

929
00:23:49,401 --> 00:23:50,611
around if anything comes

930
00:23:50,611 --> 00:23:52,091
up. >> Thank

931
00:23:52,091 --> 00:23:53,361
you very much for that

932
00:23:53,361 --> 00:23:55,012
presentation. And again, if you would

933
00:23:55,012 --> 00:23:56,611
email those to to my office,

934
00:23:56,611 --> 00:23:58,212
I will make sure everyone gets

935
00:23:58,212 --> 00:23:59,732
them, and I appreciate your

936
00:23:59,732 --> 00:24:01,021
working. Uh,

937
00:24:01,021 --> 00:24:02,622
with Carla to

938
00:24:02,622 --> 00:24:04,102
prepare for this morning, I

939
00:24:04,102 --> 00:24:05,462
would just, Mr. Chairman,

940
00:24:05,462 --> 00:24:07,021
mention to folks

941
00:24:07,021 --> 00:24:08,422
who may be watching

942
00:24:08,422 --> 00:24:09,861
this online, particularly

943
00:24:09,861 --> 00:24:11,381
our colleagues that,

944
00:24:11,381 --> 00:24:13,221
uh, Representatives Kelly

945
00:24:13,221 --> 00:24:15,102
and Harden and Dempsey,

946
00:24:15,102 --> 00:24:16,901
uh, and

947
00:24:16,901 --> 00:24:18,302
Jason, good morning,

948
00:24:18,302 --> 00:24:19,741
uh, are, are here if

949
00:24:19,741 --> 00:24:21,142
you guys want to

950
00:24:21,142 --> 00:24:22,381
text us any

951
00:24:22,381 --> 00:24:23,902
questions, uh, we'll be glad

952
00:24:23,902 --> 00:24:25,381
to ask them as we go

953
00:24:25,381 --> 00:24:26,941
along. So thank

954
00:24:26,941 --> 00:24:29,582
you.

955
00:24:29,582 --> 00:24:30,631
Shoul we continue, Mr.

956
00:24:30,631 --> 00:24:32,042
Chairman?

957
00:24:32,042 --> 00:24:33,881
Yes, uh,

958
00:24:33,881 --> 00:24:35,282
our next speakers

959
00:24:35,282 --> 00:24:36,881
I'm going to have,

960
00:24:36,881 --> 00:24:38,201
uh,

961
00:24:38,201 --> 00:24:39,761
introduced by

962
00:24:39,761 --> 00:24:41,441
Bobby Stem who

963
00:24:41,441 --> 00:24:42,922
has helped me prepare for

964
00:24:42,922 --> 00:24:44,441
this and, uh, lined

965
00:24:44,441 --> 00:24:45,841
up our next couple

966
00:24:45,841 --> 00:24:47,481
of speakers today.

967
00:24:47,481 --> 00:24:49,241
Again this morning, Bobby

968
00:24:49,241 --> 00:24:50,521
is representing the

969
00:24:50,521 --> 00:24:51,441
Oklahoma

970
00:24:51,441 --> 00:24:53,191
nonprofit EMS

971
00:24:53,191 --> 00:24:54,441
system. So Bobby, if you

972
00:24:54,441 --> 00:24:55,981
will, thank you for being

973
00:24:55,981 --> 00:24:57,362
>> here. Thank you, Mr.

974
00:24:57,362 --> 00:24:58,761
Chairman and and

975
00:24:58,761 --> 00:25:00,201
representative members of the committee.

976
00:25:00,201 --> 00:25:01,761
Uh, my name is Bobby Stem. I

977
00:25:01,761 --> 00:25:03,402
represent one Oklahoma's

978
00:25:03,402 --> 00:25:05,082
nonprofit EMS.

979
00:25:05,082 --> 00:25:06,511
Um, we're list

980
00:25:06,511 --> 00:25:07,951
wonderful presentation, by the

981
00:25:07,951 --> 00:25:09,161
way, ma'am. super

982
00:25:09,161 --> 00:25:10,722
educational, uh, but

983
00:25:10,722 --> 00:25:12,301
I do hope too

984
00:25:12,301 --> 00:25:13,682
that we, that the

985
00:25:13,682 --> 00:25:15,121
numbers aren't

986
00:25:15,121 --> 00:25:16,561
what we really leave here with

987
00:25:16,561 --> 00:25:17,761
today. It's about

988
00:25:17,761 --> 00:25:19,282
lives and quality of

989
00:25:19,282 --> 00:25:20,761
lives that I

990
00:25:20,761 --> 00:25:21,511
really want to focus

991
00:25:21,511 --> 00:25:23,071
on.

992
00:25:23,071 --> 00:25:24,181
Now this challenges the

993
00:25:24,181 --> 00:25:25,552
funding, but the

994
00:25:25,552 --> 00:25:27,112
real issue is how do we take care

995
00:25:27,112 --> 00:25:28,871
of our rural Oklahomans

996
00:25:28,871 --> 00:25:30,392
in their most critical time

997
00:25:30,392 --> 00:25:31,871
of need. This really

998
00:25:31,871 --> 00:25:33,392
hit home a few years ago when my

999
00:25:33,392 --> 00:25:34,912
mother, who had lived in Creek County in

1000
00:25:34,912 --> 00:25:36,061
a rural area of Creek

1001
00:25:36,061 --> 00:25:37,552
County, saved all her life

1002
00:25:37,552 --> 00:25:38,951
as a school teacher and had 5

1003
00:25:38,951 --> 00:25:40,621
acres that she really

1004
00:25:40,621 --> 00:25:42,632
enjoyed taking care of.

1005
00:25:42,632 --> 00:25:44,151
She got a goat later in life. That was kind of

1006
00:25:44,151 --> 00:25:45,672
weird to me, but, um,

1007
00:25:45,672 --> 00:25:47,112
she loved it out there and

1008
00:25:47,112 --> 00:25:48,472
her neighbour passed from

1009
00:25:48,472 --> 00:25:50,071
a heart attack and

1010
00:25:50,071 --> 00:25:51,552
couldn't get, couldn't get somebody there

1011
00:25:51,552 --> 00:25:53,192
in time. My mom

1012
00:25:53,192 --> 00:25:54,752
struggled with that for some time and

1013
00:25:54,752 --> 00:25:56,192
has since moved to Broken Arrow where

1014
00:25:56,192 --> 00:25:57,591
she can be closer to

1015
00:25:57,591 --> 00:25:58,782
facilities and I hate that for

1016
00:25:58,782 --> 00:26:00,231
her. I hate that for that

1017
00:26:00,231 --> 00:26:01,992
goat because they get along pretty well.

1018
00:26:01,992 --> 00:26:03,552
Um, and then I

1019
00:26:03,552 --> 00:26:04,871
started working on

1020
00:26:04,871 --> 00:26:06,431
this issue and it really kind of hit

1021
00:26:06,431 --> 00:26:07,992
home with me and as I've

1022
00:26:07,992 --> 00:26:09,672
continued to learn more about it.

1023
00:26:09,672 --> 00:26:11,061
So today I'm hoping that

1024
00:26:11,061 --> 00:26:12,591
Brandy and Brian will talk to you

1025
00:26:12,591 --> 00:26:14,311
kind of about their service

1026
00:26:14,311 --> 00:26:15,791
and really what it is we can do

1027
00:26:15,791 --> 00:26:17,351
as a whole for our

1028
00:26:17,351 --> 00:26:18,832
emergency services around the state

1029
00:26:18,832 --> 00:26:19,431
so that they can

1030
00:26:19,431 --> 00:26:21,972
provide.

1031
00:26:21,972 --> 00:26:23,392
rural citizens with

1032
00:26:23,392 --> 00:26:24,951
the help they need at the

1033
00:26:24,951 --> 00:26:26,392
very scariest time of their life.

1034
00:26:26,392 --> 00:26:27,672
So thank you for having

1035
00:26:27,672 --> 00:26:29,192
us. Thank you for allowing me

1036
00:26:29,192 --> 00:26:30,951
that personal narratives,

1037
00:26:30,951 --> 00:26:32,472
that personal narrative. And with that,

1038
00:26:32,472 --> 00:26:33,791
I'd like to, if I could go ahead

1039
00:26:33,791 --> 00:26:35,192
and introduce Brandy and

1040
00:26:35,192 --> 00:26:36,711
Brian. if they would go ahead and you

1041
00:26:36,711 --> 00:26:38,311
guys can come on up here, they'll talk.

1042
00:26:38,311 --> 00:26:39,711
Brandy we'll talk about

1043
00:26:39,711 --> 00:26:40,992
Ugalala. Brian will talk

1044
00:26:40,992 --> 00:26:42,472
about Durant. I'll, I'll

1045
00:26:42,472 --> 00:26:44,071
let them introduce themselves and tell you their

1046
00:26:44,071 --> 00:26:45,552
story and thank you very much,

1047
00:26:45,552 --> 00:26:47,422
Mr. Chairman and Representativebrinski

1048
00:26:47,422 --> 00:26:56,642
members.

1049
00:26:56,642 --> 00:26:58,142
>> Good morning. My name is Brandy

1050
00:26:58,142 --> 00:26:59,371
Pond. I am the

1051
00:26:59,371 --> 00:27:00,651
executive director for

1052
00:27:00,651 --> 00:27:02,242
Uligalaa EMS.

1053
00:27:02,242 --> 00:27:03,642
We're up in the Rock part of

1054
00:27:03,642 --> 00:27:05,172
Rock we cover the

1055
00:27:05,172 --> 00:27:06,972
Ulugalaa School District

1056
00:27:06,972 --> 00:27:08,571
in Rogers County.

1057
00:27:08,571 --> 00:27:10,101
Um thank you for having

1058
00:27:10,101 --> 00:27:11,032
us. We appreciate

1059
00:27:11,032 --> 00:27:12,841
you.

1060
00:27:12,841 --> 00:27:14,442
Hearing what we have to say.

1061
00:27:14,442 --> 00:27:16,071
Um, I really just wanted

1062
00:27:16,071 --> 00:27:17,522
to share more

1063
00:27:17,522 --> 00:27:19,041
just from the heart, kind of what

1064
00:27:19,041 --> 00:27:20,802
we do daily.

1065
00:27:20,802 --> 00:27:22,162
Um, you know, numbers

1066
00:27:22,162 --> 00:27:23,672
are important, but really like

1067
00:27:23,672 --> 00:27:24,961
Bobby said, it's definitely

1068
00:27:24,961 --> 00:27:26,481
about, you know, making

1069
00:27:26,481 --> 00:27:27,841
sure that the citizens of

1070
00:27:27,841 --> 00:27:29,561
our community get an ambulance

1071
00:27:29,561 --> 00:27:31,082
in the time of need when they pick

1072
00:27:31,082 --> 00:27:31,842
up the phone to

1073
00:27:31,842 --> 00:27:33,381
call.

1074
00:27:33,381 --> 00:27:34,941
Um, as you heard,

1075
00:27:34,941 --> 00:27:36,302
you know, ambulance districts are

1076
00:27:36,302 --> 00:27:37,701
funded, but

1077
00:27:37,701 --> 00:27:39,142
really wanted to talk about what those

1078
00:27:39,142 --> 00:27:40,742
numbers look like, like on the

1079
00:27:40,742 --> 00:27:42,291
ground level of a one rural

1080
00:27:42,291 --> 00:27:43,781
ambulance service, which I'll talk

1081
00:27:43,781 --> 00:27:44,721
specifically about

1082
00:27:44,721 --> 00:27:46,261
Ulagatawala.

1083
00:27:46,261 --> 00:27:47,381
Um, we are a

1084
00:27:47,381 --> 00:27:48,941
522 district. We do

1085
00:27:48,941 --> 00:27:50,422
cover a school district, uh,

1086
00:27:50,422 --> 00:27:52,082
in part of Rogers County.

1087
00:27:52,082 --> 00:27:53,302
We cover around about

1088
00:27:53,302 --> 00:27:54,372
180 square

1089
00:27:54,372 --> 00:27:55,422
miles.

1090
00:27:55,422 --> 00:27:57,041
Um, and

1091
00:27:57,041 --> 00:27:58,701
we run 2 24 hour trucks,

1092
00:27:58,701 --> 00:28:00,221
so they run 24/7,

1093
00:28:00,221 --> 00:28:01,531
365 days a

1094
00:28:01,531 --> 00:28:03,082
year. Um,

1095
00:28:03,082 --> 00:28:04,761
we, in 2025,

1096
00:28:04,761 --> 00:28:06,522
we averaged about 1800

1097
00:28:06,522 --> 00:28:08,041
calls, um, which

1098
00:28:08,041 --> 00:28:09,481
you can see and I'll, you can

1099
00:28:09,481 --> 00:28:11,161
reference this sheet that

1100
00:28:11,161 --> 00:28:12,562
we have that kind of just talks

1101
00:28:12,562 --> 00:28:14,131
about, um, different

1102
00:28:14,131 --> 00:28:15,381
numbers throughout from

1103
00:28:15,381 --> 00:28:17,281
2020 to 2025,

1104
00:28:17,281 --> 00:28:18,642
kind of looking at five-year

1105
00:28:18,642 --> 00:28:20,161
difference. So you can see

1106
00:28:20,161 --> 00:28:21,791
our call volume in

1107
00:28:21,791 --> 00:28:23,682
2020 was 728

1108
00:28:23,682 --> 00:28:25,242
calls and last

1109
00:28:25,242 --> 00:28:27,481
year we were up to 1,879

1110
00:28:27,481 --> 00:28:28,962
calls, which a lot of that

1111
00:28:28,962 --> 00:28:30,432
is due to You

1112
00:28:30,432 --> 00:28:31,951
know, in Rogers County, we're seeing a

1113
00:28:31,951 --> 00:28:33,312
huge growth um

1114
00:28:33,312 --> 00:28:34,911
in population because

1115
00:28:34,911 --> 00:28:36,381
everyone's moving out of Tulsa, out

1116
00:28:36,381 --> 00:28:37,832
of Owasso, and now

1117
00:28:37,832 --> 00:28:38,712
up into Rogers

1118
00:28:38,712 --> 00:28:40,402
County.

1119
00:28:40,402 --> 00:28:42,152
Um,

1120
00:28:42,152 --> 00:28:43,742
But, you know, like I said, when someone

1121
00:28:43,742 --> 00:28:45,261
calls 911, they're not thinking

1122
00:28:45,261 --> 00:28:46,422
about the millage rates

1123
00:28:46,422 --> 00:28:47,902
or what it costs to

1124
00:28:47,902 --> 00:28:49,302
reimburse from, you

1125
00:28:49,302 --> 00:28:50,781
know, insurance. They

1126
00:28:50,781 --> 00:28:52,342
simply want to know that an ambulance

1127
00:28:52,342 --> 00:28:53,892
is going to come.

1128
00:28:53,892 --> 00:28:55,372
So, you can kind of see as you

1129
00:28:55,372 --> 00:28:57,011
look at this handout that the funding

1130
00:28:57,011 --> 00:28:58,661
has not kept pace,

1131
00:28:58,661 --> 00:29:00,052
um, even though it has

1132
00:29:00,052 --> 00:29:01,492
increased, um, for

1133
00:29:01,492 --> 00:29:03,172
us in 2020,

1134
00:29:03,172 --> 00:29:04,492
our funding from the

1135
00:29:04,492 --> 00:29:05,802
avalorum tax was

1136
00:29:05,802 --> 00:29:08,372
$394,000

1137
00:29:08,372 --> 00:29:09,691
and in 2025, it's

1138
00:29:09,691 --> 00:29:11,571
469.

1139
00:29:11,571 --> 00:29:13,131
Um, that's a 19%

1140
00:29:13,131 --> 00:29:14,562
increase over five

1141
00:29:14,562 --> 00:29:15,862
years. Um,

1142
00:29:15,862 --> 00:29:17,172
our operations to run

1143
00:29:17,172 --> 00:29:18,612
the operation in 2020

1144
00:29:18,612 --> 00:29:20,251
was $1.4 million.

1145
00:29:20,251 --> 00:29:22,052
And in 2025,

1146
00:29:22,052 --> 00:29:23,531
it was 2.2.

1147
00:29:23,531 --> 00:29:24,892
This year, our

1148
00:29:24,892 --> 00:29:26,411
need will be about 2.5

1149
00:29:26,411 --> 00:29:27,971
million. Um,

1150
00:29:27,971 --> 00:29:29,772
so that's about a 57%

1151
00:29:29,772 --> 00:29:30,842
increase over the five

1152
00:29:30,842 --> 00:29:32,302
years. And

1153
00:29:32,302 --> 00:29:33,781
again, looking at the call volume in the

1154
00:29:33,781 --> 00:29:35,302
last 5 years, it's increased over

1155
00:29:35,302 --> 00:29:37,221
158%.

1156
00:29:37,221 --> 00:29:38,661
So the whole point is even though the

1157
00:29:38,661 --> 00:29:40,182
revenue did rise,

1158
00:29:40,182 --> 00:29:41,622
it's nowhere near the growth in

1159
00:29:41,622 --> 00:29:42,941
the demand for

1160
00:29:42,941 --> 00:29:44,422
the cost of operating

1161
00:29:44,422 --> 00:29:46,471
the service.

1162
00:29:46,471 --> 00:29:47,951
Um, looking a little bit more

1163
00:29:47,951 --> 00:29:49,612
about what it costs to run an ambulance

1164
00:29:49,612 --> 00:29:51,131
service and, and this is just

1165
00:29:51,131 --> 00:29:52,601
a very high level,

1166
00:29:52,601 --> 00:29:54,191
just something that,

1167
00:29:54,191 --> 00:29:55,672
you know, everybody can see and know

1168
00:29:55,672 --> 00:29:57,351
what it is like looking in an ambulance,

1169
00:29:57,351 --> 00:29:58,872
what it cost 5 years

1170
00:29:58,872 --> 00:30:00,191
ago to today.

1171
00:30:00,191 --> 00:30:01,541
Um, you know,

1172
00:30:01,541 --> 00:30:03,112
$175,000

1173
00:30:03,112 --> 00:30:04,791
and that's probably not even fully

1174
00:30:04,791 --> 00:30:05,981
stocked. That's just a

1175
00:30:05,981 --> 00:30:07,751
simple box,

1176
00:30:07,751 --> 00:30:09,312
you know, with wheels

1177
00:30:09,312 --> 00:30:10,802
that will drive

1178
00:30:10,802 --> 00:30:11,772
to today, I mean, it's

1179
00:30:11,772 --> 00:30:13,492
$325,000

1180
00:30:13,492 --> 00:30:15,392
to put an ambulance on the road.

1181
00:30:15,392 --> 00:30:16,832
Um, looking at

1182
00:30:16,832 --> 00:30:18,772
pay for a paramedic

1183
00:30:18,772 --> 00:30:20,312
average across the

1184
00:30:20,312 --> 00:30:21,832
state and even for us

1185
00:30:21,832 --> 00:30:23,112
in 2020, we were paying

1186
00:30:23,112 --> 00:30:24,832
$17 an hour,

1187
00:30:24,832 --> 00:30:26,312
but to keep up with

1188
00:30:26,312 --> 00:30:27,951
getting staff, um,

1189
00:30:27,951 --> 00:30:29,661
we have to pay about $26

1190
00:30:29,661 --> 00:30:30,911
an hour to keep

1191
00:30:30,911 --> 00:30:32,712
staff, um,

1192
00:30:32,712 --> 00:30:34,231
qualified staff

1193
00:30:34,231 --> 00:30:35,612
because we also compete with

1194
00:30:35,612 --> 00:30:37,142
larger services that,

1195
00:30:37,142 --> 00:30:38,842
that neighbour us. So

1196
00:30:38,842 --> 00:30:40,392
to not lose them and be able to

1197
00:30:40,392 --> 00:30:41,951
have trucks on the road,

1198
00:30:41,951 --> 00:30:43,422
um, Because if we

1199
00:30:43,422 --> 00:30:44,902
have to put a truck down, then we're one

1200
00:30:44,902 --> 00:30:46,501
truck in the district for 180

1201
00:30:46,501 --> 00:30:47,701
square miles. So

1202
00:30:47,701 --> 00:30:48,881
911 call goes

1203
00:30:48,881 --> 00:30:50,422
out, um, we kind of

1204
00:30:50,422 --> 00:30:51,781
showed on the back what this looks

1205
00:30:51,781 --> 00:30:53,342
like. Just a simple

1206
00:30:53,342 --> 00:30:54,781
graphic. if we're on

1207
00:30:54,781 --> 00:30:56,261
one end of the district

1208
00:30:56,261 --> 00:30:57,772
and we have to drive to the north

1209
00:30:57,772 --> 00:30:59,332
end of our district, that could be 30

1210
00:30:59,332 --> 00:31:00,862
minutes if we only have

1211
00:31:00,862 --> 00:31:02,432
one truck because someone

1212
00:31:02,432 --> 00:31:04,052
called out sick and I can't backfill

1213
00:31:04,052 --> 00:31:05,501
it or, you

1214
00:31:05,501 --> 00:31:06,821
know, I don't have enough

1215
00:31:06,821 --> 00:31:08,142
staff to staff a truck that

1216
00:31:08,142 --> 00:31:09,661
day. Um,

1217
00:31:09,661 --> 00:31:11,272
or if we're coming back from,

1218
00:31:11,272 --> 00:31:12,712
you know, there's situations

1219
00:31:12,712 --> 00:31:14,302
where both trucks could be on 911

1220
00:31:14,302 --> 00:31:15,541
calls. there's no one in the

1221
00:31:15,541 --> 00:31:17,071
district, so they have to call

1222
00:31:17,071 --> 00:31:18,672
mutual aid from Collinsville

1223
00:31:18,672 --> 00:31:19,471
or or

1224
00:31:19,471 --> 00:31:20,911
Claremore,

1225
00:31:20,911 --> 00:31:22,432
again, increasing those wait

1226
00:31:22,432 --> 00:31:23,832
times. So

1227
00:31:23,832 --> 00:31:25,071
as cost increase,

1228
00:31:25,071 --> 00:31:26,071
as population

1229
00:31:26,071 --> 00:31:27,471
increases, we're

1230
00:31:27,471 --> 00:31:29,031
not able to staff enough

1231
00:31:29,031 --> 00:31:30,511
trucks. I, I can't afford to

1232
00:31:30,511 --> 00:31:32,342
put up a third truck.

1233
00:31:32,342 --> 00:31:33,501
In my district.

1234
00:31:33,501 --> 00:31:35,062
Um, so

1235
00:31:35,062 --> 00:31:36,562
again, just easy cost to see,

1236
00:31:36,562 --> 00:31:37,992
but the harder cost to explain is

1237
00:31:37,992 --> 00:31:39,862
really the cost of being ready

1238
00:31:39,862 --> 00:31:41,422
and that's the thing that EMS is

1239
00:31:41,422 --> 00:31:42,862
really missing is

1240
00:31:42,862 --> 00:31:44,622
the cost of readiness.

1241
00:31:44,622 --> 00:31:46,182
Um, you know, before the call

1242
00:31:46,182 --> 00:31:47,781
comes in, ambulance is

1243
00:31:47,781 --> 00:31:48,781
purchased, the crew is

1244
00:31:48,781 --> 00:31:50,252
staffed,

1245
00:31:50,252 --> 00:31:51,862
medications are stocked, equipment's working,

1246
00:31:51,862 --> 00:31:53,262
there's training, there's current

1247
00:31:53,262 --> 00:31:54,581
licenser

1248
00:31:54,581 --> 00:31:56,161
and But we can't

1249
00:31:56,161 --> 00:31:57,322
wait until someone calls

1250
00:31:57,322 --> 00:31:58,481
911 to hire a

1251
00:31:58,481 --> 00:31:59,802
paramedic to buy an

1252
00:31:59,802 --> 00:32:01,322
ambulance to stop the truck. Those

1253
00:32:01,322 --> 00:32:02,961
all have to be done

1254
00:32:02,961 --> 00:32:04,641
to wait for that call.

1255
00:32:04,641 --> 00:32:06,122
So, and we don't know when that calls

1256
00:32:06,122 --> 00:32:07,721
coming in or where it's coming from,

1257
00:32:07,721 --> 00:32:09,242
but our citizens expect

1258
00:32:09,242 --> 00:32:10,231
us to be ready when it

1259
00:32:10,231 --> 00:32:11,481
does.

1260
00:32:11,481 --> 00:32:13,531
Um.

1261
00:32:13,531 --> 00:32:15,052
Readiness costs money every hour

1262
00:32:15,052 --> 00:32:16,492
of every day whether the ambulance

1263
00:32:16,492 --> 00:32:17,971
wheels turn or not.

1264
00:32:17,971 --> 00:32:19,372
And there's a lot of examples

1265
00:32:19,372 --> 00:32:20,682
probably we could reference during

1266
00:32:20,682 --> 00:32:22,221
COVID and how that,

1267
00:32:22,221 --> 00:32:23,851
you know, truly was

1268
00:32:23,851 --> 00:32:25,411
the the case.

1269
00:32:25,411 --> 00:32:26,932
Um, RS competes

1270
00:32:26,932 --> 00:32:28,572
for qualified paramedics with larger

1271
00:32:28,572 --> 00:32:29,651
services and healthcare

1272
00:32:29,651 --> 00:32:30,901
employers. Pay has

1273
00:32:30,901 --> 00:32:32,372
risen because the workforce

1274
00:32:32,372 --> 00:32:33,851
has to be sustainable

1275
00:32:33,851 --> 00:32:35,452
and even then experienced providers

1276
00:32:35,452 --> 00:32:37,041
are difficult to recruit

1277
00:32:37,041 --> 00:32:38,612
and retain. Even if we

1278
00:32:38,612 --> 00:32:40,122
get them, a lot of times they'll leave the

1279
00:32:40,122 --> 00:32:41,672
business for An

1280
00:32:41,672 --> 00:32:43,081
extra $1 they'll go into

1281
00:32:43,081 --> 00:32:44,682
healthcare, they leave the discipline

1282
00:32:44,682 --> 00:32:46,202
altogether. Um,

1283
00:32:46,202 --> 00:32:47,682
so that is something else we're battling

1284
00:32:47,682 --> 00:32:49,281
as well is, is not just

1285
00:32:49,281 --> 00:32:50,291
funding but recruitment and

1286
00:32:50,291 --> 00:32:51,812
retention because at

1287
00:32:51,812 --> 00:32:53,521
the end of the day, you know, the ambulance

1288
00:32:53,521 --> 00:32:54,922
sitting in the station is not the

1289
00:32:54,922 --> 00:32:56,481
EMS system, it's really the

1290
00:32:56,481 --> 00:32:58,382
people inside of it.

1291
00:32:58,382 --> 00:32:59,872
Um, talking a little bit,

1292
00:32:59,872 --> 00:33:01,591
um, again about employees,

1293
00:33:01,591 --> 00:33:03,072
you know, we asked them if

1294
00:33:03,072 --> 00:33:04,952
you all know EMS people.

1295
00:33:04,952 --> 00:33:06,391
I mean, they work

1296
00:33:06,391 --> 00:33:08,072
nights, holidays, weekends,

1297
00:33:08,072 --> 00:33:09,622
storms, disasters.

1298
00:33:09,622 --> 00:33:10,952
I mean, and they see a lot of really

1299
00:33:10,952 --> 00:33:12,312
tough things.

1300
00:33:12,312 --> 00:33:13,791
Um, but

1301
00:33:13,791 --> 00:33:15,271
at the end of the day, they have to

1302
00:33:15,271 --> 00:33:17,192
be able to pay their bills too.

1303
00:33:17,192 --> 00:33:18,711
And, you know, they

1304
00:33:18,711 --> 00:33:20,271
can love EMS but they still have

1305
00:33:20,271 --> 00:33:21,672
to pay their mortgage and support

1306
00:33:21,672 --> 00:33:23,601
their family.

1307
00:33:23,601 --> 00:33:25,052
Uh, another thing, just kind of

1308
00:33:25,052 --> 00:33:26,651
talking a little about response time,

1309
00:33:26,651 --> 00:33:28,252
which you can see again, I addressed

1310
00:33:28,252 --> 00:33:29,252
briefly,

1311
00:33:29,252 --> 00:33:31,041
um,

1312
00:33:31,041 --> 00:33:32,841
this is

1313
00:33:32,841 --> 00:33:34,081
where the numbers really reach the

1314
00:33:34,081 --> 00:33:35,151
patient.

1315
00:33:35,151 --> 00:33:36,841
Um, real distance

1316
00:33:36,841 --> 00:33:38,202
can't be eliminated.

1317
00:33:38,202 --> 00:33:39,512
Staffing in available units

1318
00:33:39,512 --> 00:33:40,762
determine where the responding

1319
00:33:40,762 --> 00:33:42,562
ambulance starts.

1320
00:33:42,562 --> 00:33:44,122
So, like I said, when I can't staff

1321
00:33:44,122 --> 00:33:45,721
a truck, it's not just an HR

1322
00:33:45,721 --> 00:33:47,281
problem. It really means

1323
00:33:47,281 --> 00:33:48,641
an ambulance has to come from

1324
00:33:48,641 --> 00:33:50,081
somewhere because when that call goes

1325
00:33:50,081 --> 00:33:51,682
out, a truck has to,

1326
00:33:51,682 --> 00:33:53,192
I mean, the person expects that truck

1327
00:33:53,192 --> 00:33:53,481
to show

1328
00:33:53,481 --> 00:33:56,331
up.

1329
00:33:56,331 --> 00:33:57,651
So staffing shortage becomes

1330
00:33:57,651 --> 00:33:59,182
a response time problem

1331
00:33:59,182 --> 00:34:00,952
and a response

1332
00:34:00,952 --> 00:34:02,411
time problem becomes a patient

1333
00:34:02,411 --> 00:34:03,911
problem. So

1334
00:34:03,911 --> 00:34:05,622
really in closing, um

1335
00:34:05,622 --> 00:34:07,112
three things I just want to leave with

1336
00:34:07,112 --> 00:34:08,552
you is the funding

1337
00:34:08,552 --> 00:34:10,151
really has not kept pace over

1338
00:34:10,151 --> 00:34:11,872
time even from the 70s,

1339
00:34:11,872 --> 00:34:13,391
you know, and even the last five

1340
00:34:13,391 --> 00:34:14,831
years, I think it's easy to see

1341
00:34:14,831 --> 00:34:16,231
that's the case.

1342
00:34:16,231 --> 00:34:17,752
Um cost and demand have have

1343
00:34:17,752 --> 00:34:19,312
risen dramatically and

1344
00:34:19,312 --> 00:34:20,911
there's continuing widening

1345
00:34:20,911 --> 00:34:22,091
gap through

1346
00:34:22,091 --> 00:34:23,632
um that reaches the

1347
00:34:23,632 --> 00:34:25,391
citizen for help.

1348
00:34:25,391 --> 00:34:26,831
So when someone in rural Oklahoma

1349
00:34:26,831 --> 00:34:28,351
calls 911, they should not have

1350
00:34:28,351 --> 00:34:29,711
to understand how EMS is

1351
00:34:29,711 --> 00:34:31,132
funded. They just

1352
00:34:31,132 --> 00:34:32,851
expect someone to answer.

1353
00:34:32,851 --> 00:34:34,411
So our responsibility

1354
00:34:34,411 --> 00:34:35,891
is to be ready before that call

1355
00:34:35,891 --> 00:34:37,331
comes and the question

1356
00:34:37,331 --> 00:34:39,052
before us is how we sustainably

1357
00:34:39,052 --> 00:34:40,612
fund that readiness in rural

1358
00:34:40,612 --> 00:34:41,971
Oklahoma. Thank

1359
00:34:41,971 --> 00:34:43,031
you.

1360
00:34:43,031 --> 00:34:45,492
>> Yes.

1361
00:34:45,492 --> 00:34:47,182
Thank you, Brandy. And

1362
00:34:47,182 --> 00:34:48,612
you, in your

1363
00:34:48,612 --> 00:34:50,091
presentation here, you, you have

1364
00:34:50,091 --> 00:34:51,492
the numbers for 25, but

1365
00:34:51,492 --> 00:34:52,891
you said this year,

1366
00:34:52,891 --> 00:34:54,091
you expect that your

1367
00:34:54,091 --> 00:34:55,932
costs will be around

1368
00:34:55,932 --> 00:34:56,682
2.5

1369
00:34:56,682 --> 00:35:00,145
million.

1370
00:35:00,145 --> 00:35:01,624
>> Yes, uh, our estimate of

1371
00:35:01,624 --> 00:35:03,105
needs that we just received from the

1372
00:35:03,105 --> 00:35:04,385
county, they said was

1373
00:35:04,385 --> 00:35:05,784
2.5 million. I

1374
00:35:05,784 --> 00:35:07,164
don't have the number yet

1375
00:35:07,164 --> 00:35:08,585
for what the avalorium is

1376
00:35:08,585 --> 00:35:10,024
gonna come. I, they're

1377
00:35:10,024 --> 00:35:11,245
telling me it's going to be around

1378
00:35:11,245 --> 00:35:12,465
5. or I'm

1379
00:35:12,465 --> 00:35:13,624
sorry, I think it was like

1380
00:35:13,624 --> 00:35:15,024
510, but I'm

1381
00:35:15,024 --> 00:35:16,184
actually waiting on the final

1382
00:35:16,184 --> 00:35:17,544
number. >> So tell

1383
00:35:17,544 --> 00:35:18,784
me

1384
00:35:18,784 --> 00:35:19,825
how you

1385
00:35:19,825 --> 00:35:21,145
have

1386
00:35:21,145 --> 00:35:22,594
covered that gap either

1387
00:35:22,594 --> 00:35:24,424
locally or countywide.

1388
00:35:24,424 --> 00:35:26,115
How are you addressing the

1389
00:35:26,115 --> 00:35:27,395
Approximate $2

1390
00:35:27,395 --> 00:35:28,755
million shortfall

1391
00:35:28,755 --> 00:35:30,275
there. >> So for

1392
00:35:30,275 --> 00:35:31,865
our specific 522

1393
00:35:31,865 --> 00:35:33,314
district when they were set

1394
00:35:33,314 --> 00:35:35,115
up in 2020,

1395
00:35:35,115 --> 00:35:36,514
um, the citizens

1396
00:35:36,514 --> 00:35:38,284
voted it in. They did a 3

1397
00:35:38,284 --> 00:35:39,715
we were capped at, you know, we're capped at

1398
00:35:39,715 --> 00:35:41,064
3 mills. We do get the 3

1399
00:35:41,064 --> 00:35:42,654
mills. at that time

1400
00:35:42,654 --> 00:35:44,674
they did not vote in,

1401
00:35:44,674 --> 00:35:46,154
uh, the extra

1402
00:35:46,154 --> 00:35:47,465
3 millions for the

1403
00:35:47,465 --> 00:35:49,255
capital expense.

1404
00:35:49,255 --> 00:35:51,194
Uh, I believe it was 2017

1405
00:35:51,194 --> 00:35:52,715
they went, they did go for a

1406
00:35:52,715 --> 00:35:54,134
bond. Um, so

1407
00:35:54,134 --> 00:35:55,555
we do have another one

1408
00:35:55,555 --> 00:35:57,045
mil for the bond because they

1409
00:35:57,045 --> 00:35:58,494
they specifically did that

1410
00:35:58,494 --> 00:36:00,414
to buy new ambulances.

1411
00:36:00,414 --> 00:36:02,015
Um, so really

1412
00:36:02,015 --> 00:36:03,615
the way that gap is filled is

1413
00:36:03,615 --> 00:36:04,774
through doing in facility

1414
00:36:04,774 --> 00:36:06,335
transfers and billing

1415
00:36:06,335 --> 00:36:09,994
revenue.

1416
00:36:09,994 --> 00:36:11,645
>> OK, so even,

1417
00:36:11,645 --> 00:36:13,634
even if you

1418
00:36:13,634 --> 00:36:15,075
convince your

1419
00:36:15,075 --> 00:36:16,984
voters.

1420
00:36:16,984 --> 00:36:18,145
To go up to the full 6

1421
00:36:18,145 --> 00:36:19,875
mil, it's

1422
00:36:19,875 --> 00:36:21,435
not any way

1423
00:36:21,435 --> 00:36:22,994
that you're self-sustaining there, is

1424
00:36:22,994 --> 00:36:24,435
>> there? correct? And I think you

1425
00:36:24,435 --> 00:36:25,954
would see that across the state. It's

1426
00:36:25,954 --> 00:36:27,435
not just us. I mean, this is just

1427
00:36:27,435 --> 00:36:28,994
our example. I mean, Brian can talk

1428
00:36:28,994 --> 00:36:30,795
about how that works for them.

1429
00:36:30,795 --> 00:36:32,265
He's a much larger service,

1430
00:36:32,265 --> 00:36:33,674
but it's, it's still

1431
00:36:33,674 --> 00:36:35,195
the same, right? The gap is

1432
00:36:35,195 --> 00:36:36,975
still the same. So

1433
00:36:36,975 --> 00:36:38,365
for us we don't have a

1434
00:36:38,365 --> 00:36:39,774
hospital or a long term care

1435
00:36:39,774 --> 00:36:41,494
facility in our district

1436
00:36:41,494 --> 00:36:43,054
so we have to go outside of the

1437
00:36:43,054 --> 00:36:44,335
district to run those

1438
00:36:44,335 --> 00:36:45,734
calls and that

1439
00:36:45,734 --> 00:36:46,854
takes us away from our

1440
00:36:46,854 --> 00:36:48,054
citizens. So a

1441
00:36:48,054 --> 00:36:49,774
911911

1442
00:36:49,774 --> 00:36:51,375
call comes out we may not be

1443
00:36:51,375 --> 00:36:52,814
there. >> So,

1444
00:36:52,814 --> 00:36:54,414
so you do not have

1445
00:36:54,414 --> 00:36:55,365
a hos

1446
00:36:55,365 --> 00:36:56,835
hospital within your

1447
00:36:56,835 --> 00:36:58,215
district >> in the school district,

1448
00:36:58,215 --> 00:36:59,854
>> correct. So if you're doing

1449
00:36:59,854 --> 00:37:01,295
transfers, they're all

1450
00:37:01,295 --> 00:37:02,575
out of district,

1451
00:37:02,575 --> 00:37:05,015
>> correct.

1452
00:37:05,015 --> 00:37:06,535
But basically, I mean, we

1453
00:37:06,535 --> 00:37:08,054
could not sustain

1454
00:37:08,054 --> 00:37:09,435
the service on

1455
00:37:09,435 --> 00:37:10,935
the 3 mills

1456
00:37:10,935 --> 00:37:12,054
and 911 calls

1457
00:37:12,054 --> 00:37:16,175
alone.

1458
00:37:16,175 --> 00:37:18,375
Question.

1459
00:37:18,375 --> 00:37:19,774
>> I feel for you because we're in the

1460
00:37:19,774 --> 00:37:21,724
same boat.

1461
00:37:21,724 --> 00:37:23,175
our hospital is shut down, but

1462
00:37:23,175 --> 00:37:24,974
we do have the emergency room

1463
00:37:24,974 --> 00:37:26,414
open and

1464
00:37:26,414 --> 00:37:28,414
we we have 3 ambulances.

1465
00:37:28,414 --> 00:37:29,815
one we try to put the north end of the

1466
00:37:29,815 --> 00:37:31,045
county, one south end of the

1467
00:37:31,045 --> 00:37:32,614
county, but there's

1468
00:37:32,614 --> 00:37:34,274
times with the transfers

1469
00:37:34,274 --> 00:37:35,894
we have no ambulances.

1470
00:37:35,894 --> 00:37:37,114
What are you, you calling

1471
00:37:37,114 --> 00:37:38,774
somebody? You obviously you're

1472
00:37:38,774 --> 00:37:40,254
calling somebody from somewhere else, is

1473
00:37:40,254 --> 00:37:40,614
that

1474
00:37:40,614 --> 00:37:43,235
correct?

1475
00:37:43,235 --> 00:37:44,675
>> Yes, thank you for the question.

1476
00:37:44,675 --> 00:37:46,114
Um, basically

1477
00:37:46,114 --> 00:37:47,655
the hospitals call out because

1478
00:37:47,655 --> 00:37:49,384
what they want is

1479
00:37:49,384 --> 00:37:50,914
the quickest ambulance to get there and move

1480
00:37:50,914 --> 00:37:52,435
the patient out. So they're going

1481
00:37:52,435 --> 00:37:53,994
to call around to any service they

1482
00:37:53,994 --> 00:37:55,035
can get to come pick up the

1483
00:37:55,035 --> 00:37:56,554
patient.

1484
00:37:56,554 --> 00:37:58,045
So we just juggle that. I mean,

1485
00:37:58,045 --> 00:37:59,604
we really try to leave a truck in our

1486
00:37:59,604 --> 00:38:01,045
district as much as we can so

1487
00:38:01,045 --> 00:38:01,965
that they're not left

1488
00:38:01,965 --> 00:38:03,205
uncovered.

1489
00:38:03,205 --> 00:38:04,965
Um, so we constantly

1490
00:38:04,965 --> 00:38:06,325
are juggling

1491
00:38:06,325 --> 00:38:08,084
that process of just

1492
00:38:08,084 --> 00:38:09,644
do we have a truck in? when's the next

1493
00:38:09,644 --> 00:38:11,164
one going to be back.

1494
00:38:11,164 --> 00:38:12,724
Um, so it's a

1495
00:38:12,724 --> 00:38:13,604
daily 24

1496
00:38:13,604 --> 00:38:15,375
hour

1497
00:38:15,375 --> 00:38:16,894
process to try to make sure the district's

1498
00:38:16,894 --> 00:38:18,215
covered, but yet we're still

1499
00:38:18,215 --> 00:38:19,494
doing enough to bring in some

1500
00:38:19,494 --> 00:38:20,974
funding to build

1501
00:38:20,974 --> 00:38:22,405
this gap.

1502
00:38:22,405 --> 00:38:24,244
>> How often is it that your

1503
00:38:24,244 --> 00:38:25,644
district is caught without an

1504
00:38:25,644 --> 00:38:27,354
ambulance?

1505
00:38:27,354 --> 00:38:27,655
>> I

1506
00:38:27,655 --> 00:38:30,444
mean,

1507
00:38:30,444 --> 00:38:31,845
Gosh.

1508
00:38:31,845 --> 00:38:33,364
I mean, I would say that's starting

1509
00:38:33,364 --> 00:38:35,364
to increase. Um,

1510
00:38:35,364 --> 00:38:36,884
but like if we have a we only

1511
00:38:36,884 --> 00:38:38,364
have one truck a day because we

1512
00:38:38,364 --> 00:38:39,565
can't staff it we don't do

1513
00:38:39,565 --> 00:38:41,004
transfers, right? because we

1514
00:38:41,004 --> 00:38:42,205
don't want to take that truck out of

1515
00:38:42,205 --> 00:38:43,244
district.

1516
00:38:43,244 --> 00:38:44,875
um

1517
00:38:44,875 --> 00:38:46,384
So >> We

1518
00:38:46,384 --> 00:38:47,774
run 5 trucks a day,

1519
00:38:47,774 --> 00:38:49,224
24 hours a day, and we run

1520
00:38:49,224 --> 00:38:50,625
out of trucks every >> day.

1521
00:38:50,625 --> 00:38:52,104
OK, well that's what I was

1522
00:38:52,104 --> 00:38:53,504
coming out with ours. There,

1523
00:38:53,504 --> 00:38:54,985
there's not a day goes by that at

1524
00:38:54,985 --> 00:38:56,584
some point in time

1525
00:38:56,584 --> 00:38:58,185
we don't have an ambulance. Yeah,

1526
00:38:58,185 --> 00:38:59,735
>> I would say there's probably

1527
00:38:59,735 --> 00:39:01,265
a few times through the day, >> and one

1528
00:39:01,265 --> 00:39:02,815
of our issues is not

1529
00:39:02,815 --> 00:39:04,024
necessarily transfers, like just

1530
00:39:04,024 --> 00:39:05,345
911 calls and

1531
00:39:05,345 --> 00:39:06,955
then. we're

1532
00:39:06,955 --> 00:39:08,274
surrounded by

1533
00:39:08,274 --> 00:39:09,785
counties that are a lot smaller

1534
00:39:09,785 --> 00:39:11,024
than us. I'm in Bryan

1535
00:39:11,024 --> 00:39:12,475
County and

1536
00:39:12,475 --> 00:39:13,875
so we find ourselves in other

1537
00:39:13,875 --> 00:39:15,294
counties because we have 5

1538
00:39:15,294 --> 00:39:16,514
trucks and they have 1

1539
00:39:16,514 --> 00:39:17,994
truck. So we

1540
00:39:17,994 --> 00:39:19,595
find ourselves in those counties

1541
00:39:19,595 --> 00:39:21,225
quite often.

1542
00:39:21,225 --> 00:39:22,894
Because of this shortfall,

1543
00:39:22,894 --> 00:39:24,744
because they're doing the same things,

1544
00:39:24,744 --> 00:39:26,065
>> do you, do you get

1545
00:39:26,065 --> 00:39:27,535
any funding from those

1546
00:39:27,535 --> 00:39:29,065
other areas when

1547
00:39:29,065 --> 00:39:30,505
you're going into, to,

1548
00:39:30,505 --> 00:39:32,174
uh, pick up the just

1549
00:39:32,174 --> 00:39:33,065
>> whatever we might get out of

1550
00:39:33,065 --> 00:39:34,364
billing.

1551
00:39:34,364 --> 00:39:35,005
Uh thank

1552
00:39:35,005 --> 00:39:38,304
you.

1553
00:39:38,304 --> 00:39:40,315
>> Alright,

1554
00:39:40,315 --> 00:39:42,084
randy got your

1555
00:39:42,084 --> 00:39:44,014
Mr. Norton.

1556
00:39:44,014 --> 00:39:45,695
Brian. >> OK.

1557
00:39:45,695 --> 00:39:47,215
Um, my name is Brian Norton.

1558
00:39:47,215 --> 00:39:48,945
I am the chief of EMS

1559
00:39:48,945 --> 00:39:50,005
for Bryan County,

1560
00:39:50,005 --> 00:39:51,535
Oklahoma. Um, to

1561
00:39:51,535 --> 00:39:53,375
kind of give you a

1562
00:39:53,375 --> 00:39:54,894
background of me,

1563
00:39:54,894 --> 00:39:56,375
um,

1564
00:39:56,375 --> 00:39:57,855
I'm also the fire

1565
00:39:57,855 --> 00:39:59,524
chief for the town of Calera.

1566
00:39:59,524 --> 00:40:00,935
Um, so I kind of understand the

1567
00:40:00,935 --> 00:40:02,375
fireside and the fundings and

1568
00:40:02,375 --> 00:40:03,815
things. And then

1569
00:40:03,815 --> 00:40:05,375
I was also the mayor of Calera for

1570
00:40:05,375 --> 00:40:07,095
a short term and I've served 16

1571
00:40:07,095 --> 00:40:08,655
years on the city council for

1572
00:40:08,655 --> 00:40:10,054
Calera. So I

1573
00:40:10,054 --> 00:40:11,574
kinda understand where the

1574
00:40:11,574 --> 00:40:13,095
city and I've been at Bryan County Ms

1575
00:40:13,095 --> 00:40:14,695
29 years. So

1576
00:40:14,695 --> 00:40:16,014
county, city funding,

1577
00:40:16,014 --> 00:40:17,535
I understand where a lot of this is

1578
00:40:17,535 --> 00:40:19,054
coming out of.

1579
00:40:19,054 --> 00:40:20,885
And I'm,

1580
00:40:20,885 --> 00:40:22,445
I can reiterate a lot of the stuff that

1581
00:40:22,445 --> 00:40:23,885
Brandy said, but I'll kind

1582
00:40:23,885 --> 00:40:25,285
of, I'll get a little bit

1583
00:40:25,285 --> 00:40:26,725
more into the weeds

1584
00:40:26,725 --> 00:40:27,764
and dirt with

1585
00:40:27,764 --> 00:40:29,524
this. Um,

1586
00:40:29,524 --> 00:40:30,965
Bryan County,

1587
00:40:30,965 --> 00:40:32,484
we cover 990 square

1588
00:40:32,484 --> 00:40:34,005
miles. We cover

1589
00:40:34,005 --> 00:40:34,514
it with 5

1590
00:40:34,514 --> 00:40:36,535
ambulances.

1591
00:40:36,535 --> 00:40:38,294
Same ratio, we run over 8000

1592
00:40:38,294 --> 00:40:40,454
calls a year.

1593
00:40:40,454 --> 00:40:41,935
Um, that's what we're on

1594
00:40:41,935 --> 00:40:43,385
average. we're, we're on average

1595
00:40:43,385 --> 00:40:44,465
right now to hit

1596
00:40:44,465 --> 00:40:46,014
about, um,

1597
00:40:46,014 --> 00:40:47,644
for 2026 we're around

1598
00:40:47,644 --> 00:40:49,144
8100 calls is what

1599
00:40:49,144 --> 00:40:50,144
our average is hitting

1600
00:40:50,144 --> 00:40:52,605
us.

1601
00:40:52,605 --> 00:40:54,244
In that same time

1602
00:40:54,244 --> 00:40:55,864
frame.

1603
00:40:55,864 --> 00:40:57,225
There's 17 fire

1604
00:40:57,225 --> 00:40:58,864
departments. One paid 16

1605
00:40:58,864 --> 00:41:00,355
volunteer fire departments in

1606
00:41:00,355 --> 00:41:01,864
in Bryan County.

1607
00:41:01,864 --> 00:41:03,505
There's over 140

1608
00:41:03,505 --> 00:41:05,065
fire trucks to cover 900

1609
00:41:05,065 --> 00:41:06,584
square miles

1610
00:41:06,584 --> 00:41:08,625
in Bryan County.

1611
00:41:08,625 --> 00:41:10,304
For less than 1500

1612
00:41:10,304 --> 00:41:11,535
runs a year that are fire

1613
00:41:11,535 --> 00:41:13,065
calls.

1614
00:41:13,065 --> 00:41:14,544
Fully supported by

1615
00:41:14,544 --> 00:41:15,984
taxpayer money, either city

1616
00:41:15,984 --> 00:41:17,785
or county, 100%

1617
00:41:17,785 --> 00:41:18,824
sales tax

1618
00:41:18,824 --> 00:41:20,524
generated.

1619
00:41:20,524 --> 00:41:21,125
I mean, we

1620
00:41:21,125 --> 00:41:23,334
have

1621
00:41:23,334 --> 00:41:24,755
I mean, I'll take Calera.

1622
00:41:24,755 --> 00:41:26,394
I've got a $1.2

1623
00:41:26,394 --> 00:41:28,014
million dollar fire truck

1624
00:41:28,014 --> 00:41:29,415
for the town of Calera for 200

1625
00:41:29,415 --> 00:41:29,725
calls a

1626
00:41:29,725 --> 00:41:32,665
year.

1627
00:41:32,665 --> 00:41:34,135
Um, EMS,

1628
00:41:34,135 --> 00:41:34,894
I'm about to spend

1629
00:41:34,894 --> 00:41:36,655
$325,000

1630
00:41:36,655 --> 00:41:37,695
this month on a new

1631
00:41:37,695 --> 00:41:39,095
ambulance. I'll

1632
00:41:39,095 --> 00:41:40,935
spend another $300,000

1633
00:41:40,935 --> 00:41:42,774
to stock that truck,

1634
00:41:42,774 --> 00:41:44,255
and I've got to make it figure

1635
00:41:44,255 --> 00:41:45,954
out how to come out of my budget

1636
00:41:45,954 --> 00:41:47,255
of roughly about

1637
00:41:47,255 --> 00:41:48,815
$3.8 million that

1638
00:41:48,815 --> 00:41:50,334
I'll have,

1639
00:41:50,334 --> 00:41:51,975
um.

1640
00:41:51,975 --> 00:41:53,334
through taxes and, and,

1641
00:41:53,334 --> 00:41:54,894
and billing to come up

1642
00:41:54,894 --> 00:41:56,804
with plus

1643
00:41:56,804 --> 00:41:58,234
Staff my trucks, plus

1644
00:41:58,234 --> 00:41:59,755
keep them all running, plus keep the

1645
00:41:59,755 --> 00:42:01,174
maintenance going

1646
00:42:01,174 --> 00:42:02,755
and, and so on. So

1647
00:42:02,755 --> 00:42:03,915
there, there's a, there's a big

1648
00:42:03,915 --> 00:42:04,875
disparity

1649
00:42:04,875 --> 00:42:06,994
between

1650
00:42:06,994 --> 00:42:08,375
E ems and how we

1651
00:42:08,375 --> 00:42:09,234
are funded. We,

1652
00:42:09,234 --> 00:42:10,535
we

1653
00:42:10,535 --> 00:42:11,924
Everybody wants an ambulance, but

1654
00:42:11,924 --> 00:42:13,454
nobody wants to pay for it. That's kind of the

1655
00:42:13,454 --> 00:42:15,174
way we feel about it.

1656
00:42:15,174 --> 00:42:16,614
Um, if you

1657
00:42:16,614 --> 00:42:17,855
use a kind of a

1658
00:42:17,855 --> 00:42:19,595
nationwide rule of thumb

1659
00:42:19,595 --> 00:42:21,054
with 8000 calls, you should

1660
00:42:21,054 --> 00:42:22,975
have 1 truck per 1000.

1661
00:42:22,975 --> 00:42:24,494
So we should be running 8 trucks in

1662
00:42:24,494 --> 00:42:25,984
Bryan County.

1663
00:42:25,984 --> 00:42:27,625
Um, on average,

1664
00:42:27,625 --> 00:42:29,465
and we run 5.

1665
00:42:29,465 --> 00:42:30,945
So that's where we get

1666
00:42:30,945 --> 00:42:32,635
every day we run out of trucks,

1667
00:42:32,635 --> 00:42:34,584
where every day we,

1668
00:42:34,584 --> 00:42:35,984
we stack them, um,

1669
00:42:35,984 --> 00:42:37,584
just kind of like what Bobby was talking

1670
00:42:37,584 --> 00:42:39,605
about, um,

1671
00:42:39,605 --> 00:42:41,125
We push off a lot of

1672
00:42:41,125 --> 00:42:42,744
discharges from our hospital

1673
00:42:42,744 --> 00:42:44,165
for a while to run

1674
00:42:44,165 --> 00:42:45,364
911 calls and

1675
00:42:45,364 --> 00:42:46,845
then when we free a truck

1676
00:42:46,845 --> 00:42:48,424
up, we go back and forth.

1677
00:42:48,424 --> 00:42:50,084
And then there's times

1678
00:42:50,084 --> 00:42:51,605
where the patients might

1679
00:42:51,605 --> 00:42:53,125
have to wait. people have to wait

1680
00:42:53,125 --> 00:42:54,445
for ambulances and that's

1681
00:42:54,445 --> 00:42:55,924
not indicative. that's

1682
00:42:55,924 --> 00:42:57,084
not just Bryan County.

1683
00:42:57,084 --> 00:42:58,635
that's, I'm

1684
00:42:58,635 --> 00:43:00,324
gonna say it's probably going to be in 77

1685
00:43:00,324 --> 00:43:02,125
counties in Oklahoma.

1686
00:43:02,125 --> 00:43:03,605
At some point or another, you're going to

1687
00:43:03,605 --> 00:43:04,315
have to wait for an

1688
00:43:04,315 --> 00:43:06,984
ambulance.

1689
00:43:06,984 --> 00:43:12,794
So

1690
00:43:12,794 --> 00:43:14,195
Our,

1691
00:43:14,195 --> 00:43:15,715
our ad valorum, I was gonna kind of

1692
00:43:15,715 --> 00:43:16,994
touch a little bit on the ad

1693
00:43:16,994 --> 00:43:18,475
valorum too. And I wanted to

1694
00:43:18,475 --> 00:43:19,715
put some clarity a little

1695
00:43:19,715 --> 00:43:21,244
bit. When,

1696
00:43:21,244 --> 00:43:22,715
um, they presented about

1697
00:43:22,715 --> 00:43:24,834
6 mills,

1698
00:43:24,834 --> 00:43:26,595
we only get 3 mils

1699
00:43:26,595 --> 00:43:27,874
of property

1700
00:43:27,874 --> 00:43:29,235
tax. We can do a 3

1701
00:43:29,235 --> 00:43:30,665
mil bond. The sinking

1702
00:43:30,665 --> 00:43:31,985
fund is a bond

1703
00:43:31,985 --> 00:43:33,274
issue and it

1704
00:43:33,274 --> 00:43:34,754
is, so it's not

1705
00:43:34,754 --> 00:43:36,314
a permanent tax.

1706
00:43:36,314 --> 00:43:37,795
you bond it for a certain

1707
00:43:37,795 --> 00:43:39,245
capital. And it

1708
00:43:39,245 --> 00:43:40,725
goes away. Like I

1709
00:43:40,725 --> 00:43:42,324
currently do have a bond

1710
00:43:42,324 --> 00:43:44,064
issue, um,

1711
00:43:44,064 --> 00:43:45,324
that, that built a

1712
00:43:45,324 --> 00:43:46,764
new station in

1713
00:43:46,764 --> 00:43:48,155
to house us because we were, we

1714
00:43:48,155 --> 00:43:49,764
actually had all of our trucks outside

1715
00:43:49,764 --> 00:43:51,084
and we had to build a

1716
00:43:51,084 --> 00:43:52,115
new station to house our

1717
00:43:52,115 --> 00:43:53,405
trucks.

1718
00:43:53,405 --> 00:43:55,004
Um, and then that 3

1719
00:43:55,004 --> 00:43:56,485
mills, the first year it was like

1720
00:43:56,485 --> 00:43:57,995
2.1 mils and it's just

1721
00:43:57,995 --> 00:43:59,524
gradually gone down and it'll actually

1722
00:43:59,524 --> 00:44:01,165
go away in 10 years.

1723
00:44:01,165 --> 00:44:02,564
In order to get it again, I'll have to

1724
00:44:02,564 --> 00:44:03,925
go back out to the vote of the

1725
00:44:03,925 --> 00:44:05,405
people to, to

1726
00:44:05,405 --> 00:44:07,074
get that, um,

1727
00:44:07,074 --> 00:44:08,084
to, to get

1728
00:44:08,084 --> 00:44:09,605
that. Extra

1729
00:44:09,605 --> 00:44:10,285
3 meals

1730
00:44:10,285 --> 00:44:12,024
possibly.

1731
00:44:12,024 --> 00:44:13,465
Um,

1732
00:44:13,465 --> 00:44:15,024
the sales

1733
00:44:15,024 --> 00:44:16,665
tax on the,

1734
00:44:16,665 --> 00:44:18,184
the, the

1735
00:44:18,184 --> 00:44:19,985
Title 68 sales tax,

1736
00:44:19,985 --> 00:44:21,024
that was just

1737
00:44:21,024 --> 00:44:22,545
passed two

1738
00:44:22,545 --> 00:44:24,024
years ago, um, through

1739
00:44:24,024 --> 00:44:25,384
the house and the Senate

1740
00:44:25,384 --> 00:44:27,204
here. Um,

1741
00:44:27,204 --> 00:44:28,605
so far there's only one

1742
00:44:28,605 --> 00:44:30,084
ambulance service in the state that

1743
00:44:30,084 --> 00:44:31,754
has that. that's Muskogee

1744
00:44:31,754 --> 00:44:33,254
County. Um, and

1745
00:44:33,254 --> 00:44:34,374
I think they're only at like

1746
00:44:34,374 --> 00:44:35,975
$0.3

1747
00:44:35,975 --> 00:44:37,334
of that one cent meal. They

1748
00:44:37,334 --> 00:44:38,615
are 1cent of

1749
00:44:38,615 --> 00:44:43,194
that.

1750
00:44:43,194 --> 00:44:44,764
So, so funding

1751
00:44:44,764 --> 00:44:45,735
just hasn't, you know,

1752
00:44:45,735 --> 00:44:47,465
when

1753
00:44:47,465 --> 00:44:49,024
Currently, the current atmosphere in

1754
00:44:49,024 --> 00:44:50,704
the, in the political geoscape

1755
00:44:50,704 --> 00:44:52,144
of stuff right

1756
00:44:52,144 --> 00:44:54,245
now is to cut taxes.

1757
00:44:54,245 --> 00:44:55,764
And

1758
00:44:55,764 --> 00:44:57,245
Then here comes EMS turns

1759
00:44:57,245 --> 00:44:58,564
around and says, hey, can you raise your

1760
00:44:58,564 --> 00:44:59,805
taxes?

1761
00:44:59,805 --> 00:45:01,365
And everywhere we're

1762
00:45:01,365 --> 00:45:02,884
going for that, it's, it's getting

1763
00:45:02,884 --> 00:45:04,365
voted no,

1764
00:45:04,365 --> 00:45:06,305
because we're getting a huge

1765
00:45:06,305 --> 00:45:07,204
outcry

1766
00:45:07,204 --> 00:45:08,845
from

1767
00:45:08,845 --> 00:45:10,405
People that just want to cut taxes. They don't

1768
00:45:10,405 --> 00:45:12,045
want taxes, they don't want taxes.

1769
00:45:12,045 --> 00:45:13,524
Um, in Bryan County, we try

1770
00:45:13,524 --> 00:45:14,884
to run it and

1771
00:45:14,884 --> 00:45:16,684
because some, uh,

1772
00:45:16,684 --> 00:45:18,204
uh, mismanagement

1773
00:45:18,204 --> 00:45:20,514
of a local city,

1774
00:45:20,514 --> 00:45:21,944
It got voted no. All those

1775
00:45:21,944 --> 00:45:23,595
people came out and voted us no,

1776
00:45:23,595 --> 00:45:25,555
and then they turn around and they,

1777
00:45:25,555 --> 00:45:27,155
our call volume increases,

1778
00:45:27,155 --> 00:45:28,715
you know, and so, and, and

1779
00:45:28,715 --> 00:45:30,235
then we get Facebook

1780
00:45:30,235 --> 00:45:31,754
posts and everything else about, hey,

1781
00:45:31,754 --> 00:45:33,274
I waited 1520 minutes for

1782
00:45:33,274 --> 00:45:34,795
an ambulance.

1783
00:45:34,795 --> 00:45:36,235
So, you know, it's,

1784
00:45:36,235 --> 00:45:37,715
it's, it's a catch-22 that

1785
00:45:37,715 --> 00:45:39,355
we're in, in the in the political

1786
00:45:39,355 --> 00:45:40,824
environment that we're in right now. Everybody

1787
00:45:40,824 --> 00:45:42,355
wants to cut the taxes, but the only way

1788
00:45:42,355 --> 00:45:43,754
to save EMS right now is

1789
00:45:43,754 --> 00:45:45,064
to, Raise

1790
00:45:45,064 --> 00:45:46,465
taxes and

1791
00:45:46,465 --> 00:45:47,105
nobody wants to do

1792
00:45:47,105 --> 00:45:50,495
it.

1793
00:45:50,495 --> 00:45:52,175
>> Uh, thank you. I mean,

1794
00:45:52,175 --> 00:45:53,655
and what y'all

1795
00:45:53,655 --> 00:45:55,254
don't know Bobby, or I mean

1796
00:45:55,254 --> 00:45:56,735
not Bobby but Bobby

1797
00:45:56,735 --> 00:45:58,295
too, but Brian and I, we've been

1798
00:45:58,295 --> 00:45:59,735
working together ever

1799
00:45:59,735 --> 00:46:01,415
since 2013

1800
00:46:01,415 --> 00:46:02,735
and, uh,

1801
00:46:02,735 --> 00:46:04,374
become really good friends

1802
00:46:04,374 --> 00:46:05,295
and

1803
00:46:05,295 --> 00:46:06,814
uh see he's

1804
00:46:06,814 --> 00:46:08,055
up here a lot,

1805
00:46:08,055 --> 00:46:09,535
but

1806
00:46:09,535 --> 00:46:10,975
we've had these conversations

1807
00:46:10,975 --> 00:46:12,334
time and time again

1808
00:46:12,334 --> 00:46:13,975
and some of the things

1809
00:46:13,975 --> 00:46:15,574
like I said. You talk

1810
00:46:15,574 --> 00:46:17,134
about the time to one

1811
00:46:17,134 --> 00:46:18,254
of the biggest reasons

1812
00:46:18,254 --> 00:46:19,735
that we're

1813
00:46:19,735 --> 00:46:21,574
having such

1814
00:46:21,574 --> 00:46:23,055
many calls in our

1815
00:46:23,055 --> 00:46:24,814
part of the world is tourism

1816
00:46:24,814 --> 00:46:26,415
because we have so many

1817
00:46:26,415 --> 00:46:27,934
people in 3 industry in the

1818
00:46:27,934 --> 00:46:30,045
state, and

1819
00:46:30,045 --> 00:46:31,454
Choctaw County is a prime

1820
00:46:31,454 --> 00:46:33,055
example. Uh,

1821
00:46:33,055 --> 00:46:34,948
we had an idiot one time

1822
00:46:34,948 --> 00:46:36,337
steal an ambulance

1823
00:46:36,337 --> 00:46:38,447
while he was on call.

1824
00:46:38,447 --> 00:46:39,947
I mean, just different battles and

1825
00:46:39,947 --> 00:46:41,417
that person

1826
00:46:41,417 --> 00:46:42,697
died because the

1827
00:46:42,697 --> 00:46:44,207
ambulance.

1828
00:46:44,207 --> 00:46:45,608
He drove the ambulance down the road and

1829
00:46:45,608 --> 00:46:47,407
just for joy ride light

1830
00:46:47,407 --> 00:46:48,848
flash and everything else. I mean, you

1831
00:46:48,848 --> 00:46:50,717
just just in

1832
00:46:50,717 --> 00:46:52,157
our in

1833
00:46:52,157 --> 00:46:53,858
It just goes on and on

1834
00:46:53,858 --> 00:46:55,108
and We,

1835
00:46:55,108 --> 00:46:56,637
uh,

1836
00:46:56,637 --> 00:46:58,038
the hospital, I

1837
00:46:58,038 --> 00:46:59,518
mean you brought up your hospital.

1838
00:46:59,518 --> 00:47:00,938
I mean we're losing our

1839
00:47:00,938 --> 00:47:01,877
rural hospitals.

1840
00:47:01,877 --> 00:47:03,158
So,

1841
00:47:03,158 --> 00:47:04,717
uh, in my district in

1842
00:47:04,717 --> 00:47:06,357
the north part of it on

1843
00:47:06,357 --> 00:47:07,848
highway 259 is closer

1844
00:47:07,848 --> 00:47:09,758
to go to Arkansas.

1845
00:47:09,758 --> 00:47:11,397
And I mean

1846
00:47:11,397 --> 00:47:12,568
and a lot of times

1847
00:47:12,568 --> 00:47:14,037
we if it's that

1848
00:47:14,037 --> 00:47:15,677
bad we have to

1849
00:47:15,677 --> 00:47:17,397
get a helicopter

1850
00:47:17,397 --> 00:47:18,877
come in. I mean,

1851
00:47:18,877 --> 00:47:20,438
because we're up, I mean you

1852
00:47:20,438 --> 00:47:21,998
get in the middle of nowhere

1853
00:47:21,998 --> 00:47:23,517
and literally you're lucky if you

1854
00:47:23,517 --> 00:47:24,278
even get call

1855
00:47:24,278 --> 00:47:26,397
911

1856
00:47:26,397 --> 00:47:28,118
so it's, uh,

1857
00:47:28,118 --> 00:47:29,508
all these challenges that

1858
00:47:29,508 --> 00:47:30,998
y'all have. I mean, I

1859
00:47:30,998 --> 00:47:32,638
wanna thank y'all for always

1860
00:47:32,638 --> 00:47:34,118
up here beating the bushes

1861
00:47:34,118 --> 00:47:35,238
because that's how we get things

1862
00:47:35,238 --> 00:47:36,277
done

1863
00:47:36,277 --> 00:47:39,347
and

1864
00:47:39,347 --> 00:47:41,508
said

1865
00:47:41,508 --> 00:47:42,967
we're trying to keep our

1866
00:47:42,967 --> 00:47:44,387
rural hospitals and

1867
00:47:44,387 --> 00:47:45,908
where we can get them where we

1868
00:47:45,908 --> 00:47:47,427
short term. I mean,

1869
00:47:47,427 --> 00:47:49,207
um,

1870
00:47:49,207 --> 00:47:50,467
Bryan County we're we're

1871
00:47:50,467 --> 00:47:51,948
privileged because they have a pretty good

1872
00:47:51,948 --> 00:47:53,618
one. and you got Marshall County and

1873
00:47:53,618 --> 00:47:55,677
Choctaw County and

1874
00:47:55,677 --> 00:47:57,158
Uh, To County, I mean, like

1875
00:47:57,158 --> 00:47:58,637
I said, around there, but

1876
00:47:58,637 --> 00:48:00,238
still our rural hospitals

1877
00:48:00,238 --> 00:48:01,677
are disappearing where we're

1878
00:48:01,677 --> 00:48:03,217
having to travel further

1879
00:48:03,217 --> 00:48:04,758
and stuff. Well, >> one

1880
00:48:04,758 --> 00:48:06,277
of your things too

1881
00:48:06,277 --> 00:48:07,857
with your rural hospitals,

1882
00:48:07,857 --> 00:48:09,628
the EMS were connected,

1883
00:48:09,628 --> 00:48:11,158
you know, because there's a lot of

1884
00:48:11,158 --> 00:48:12,597
people that they know if they go

1885
00:48:12,597 --> 00:48:13,918
to, like, I'm, I'm

1886
00:48:13,918 --> 00:48:15,798
originally from Atoka County

1887
00:48:15,798 --> 00:48:17,357
and a lot of people

1888
00:48:17,357 --> 00:48:18,798
from Atoka County will

1889
00:48:18,798 --> 00:48:20,147
not go to atoka

1890
00:48:20,147 --> 00:48:21,637
County's little hospital, which

1891
00:48:21,637 --> 00:48:23,077
causes a financial problem for

1892
00:48:23,077 --> 00:48:24,548
them. They will drive to

1893
00:48:24,548 --> 00:48:25,817
McAllister or

1894
00:48:25,817 --> 00:48:27,548
Durant

1895
00:48:27,548 --> 00:48:29,018
because they know if they go to a

1896
00:48:29,018 --> 00:48:30,467
tocas hospital, they're, they're

1897
00:48:30,467 --> 00:48:31,948
not going to get a lot of care because it

1898
00:48:31,948 --> 00:48:33,508
is rural, and then they may

1899
00:48:33,508 --> 00:48:35,027
lay there for a long time waiting

1900
00:48:35,027 --> 00:48:36,088
on an ambulance

1901
00:48:36,088 --> 00:48:37,407
or

1902
00:48:37,407 --> 00:48:38,957
If that, if atoka

1903
00:48:38,957 --> 00:48:40,558
County EMS is transferring

1904
00:48:40,558 --> 00:48:41,808
someone, it may be

1905
00:48:41,808 --> 00:48:43,287
6, you know, typically they go

1906
00:48:43,287 --> 00:48:44,847
to Oklahoma City, so it's a 6

1907
00:48:44,847 --> 00:48:46,448
to 8 hour turnaround

1908
00:48:46,448 --> 00:48:48,168
to get that ambulance back.

1909
00:48:48,168 --> 00:48:49,767
So a lot of people just bypass

1910
00:48:49,767 --> 00:48:51,248
your rural hospital. So if you

1911
00:48:51,248 --> 00:48:52,808
can strengthen

1912
00:48:52,808 --> 00:48:54,328
your ambulance services,

1913
00:48:54,328 --> 00:48:56,008
you'll strengthen your rural hospitals

1914
00:48:56,008 --> 00:48:57,487
where we're, we work together

1915
00:48:57,487 --> 00:48:59,047
all the time.

1916
00:48:59,047 --> 00:49:00,528
>> Exactly. I mean,

1917
00:49:00,528 --> 00:49:02,037
I mean, I can use my curtain

1918
00:49:02,037 --> 00:49:03,448
cane for it. If

1919
00:49:03,448 --> 00:49:05,047
we have an emergency in the north

1920
00:49:05,047 --> 00:49:06,687
part of the county, it depends on

1921
00:49:06,687 --> 00:49:08,248
timing. it's

1922
00:49:08,248 --> 00:49:09,888
on Friday evening

1923
00:49:09,888 --> 00:49:11,608
or during the weekend, God help us

1924
00:49:11,608 --> 00:49:13,088
because the only way to

1925
00:49:13,088 --> 00:49:14,567
the north part of our county is going through

1926
00:49:14,567 --> 00:49:16,157
Hotown. And

1927
00:49:16,157 --> 00:49:17,558
it's backed up

1928
00:49:17,558 --> 00:49:19,278
in discussion and,

1929
00:49:19,278 --> 00:49:20,237
uh, I

1930
00:49:20,237 --> 00:49:21,698
mean, I had

1931
00:49:21,698 --> 00:49:23,138
the privilege of working for

1932
00:49:23,138 --> 00:49:24,677
US congressman, so I drove

1933
00:49:24,677 --> 00:49:26,177
a lot of these roads in

1934
00:49:26,177 --> 00:49:27,737
southeast Oklahoma for for over

1935
00:49:27,737 --> 00:49:29,478
8 counties and,

1936
00:49:29,478 --> 00:49:30,817
and I've seen it

1937
00:49:30,817 --> 00:49:32,218
firsthand and stuff

1938
00:49:32,218 --> 00:49:32,817
and just

1939
00:49:32,817 --> 00:49:35,067
this.

1940
00:49:35,067 --> 00:49:36,627
I mean, just like you

1941
00:49:36,627 --> 00:49:38,228
talked about all the volunteer

1942
00:49:38,228 --> 00:49:40,528
fire departments

1943
00:49:40,528 --> 00:49:42,877
and

1944
00:49:42,877 --> 00:49:44,358
We got and sad to say

1945
00:49:44,358 --> 00:49:45,918
some of them abuse

1946
00:49:45,918 --> 00:49:47,358
our system

1947
00:49:47,358 --> 00:49:48,957
they honestly do

1948
00:49:48,957 --> 00:49:50,558
but and that's abused

1949
00:49:50,558 --> 00:49:51,877
money could be going to our

1950
00:49:51,877 --> 00:49:53,567
EMS and

1951
00:49:53,567 --> 00:49:55,157
we just have to look at it certain different

1952
00:49:55,157 --> 00:49:57,237
ways and

1953
00:49:57,237 --> 00:49:59,067
uh

1954
00:49:59,067 --> 00:50:00,638
population you talk, I mean

1955
00:50:00,638 --> 00:50:02,448
we talk. Uh,

1956
00:50:02,448 --> 00:50:03,968
about your population, like I

1957
00:50:03,968 --> 00:50:05,407
said, on the weekends it

1958
00:50:05,407 --> 00:50:07,127
grows because

1959
00:50:07,127 --> 00:50:08,528
of the tourism

1960
00:50:08,528 --> 00:50:10,008
and everything.

1961
00:50:10,008 --> 00:50:11,248
Um, >> I get

1962
00:50:11,248 --> 00:50:12,608
about Thursday

1963
00:50:12,608 --> 00:50:13,987
through Sunday, I get almost

1964
00:50:13,987 --> 00:50:15,528
10,000 people

1965
00:50:15,528 --> 00:50:17,047
just

1966
00:50:17,047 --> 00:50:19,047
At a casino

1967
00:50:19,047 --> 00:50:20,338
or spread out through a county at a

1968
00:50:20,338 --> 00:50:22,207
casino,

1969
00:50:22,207 --> 00:50:23,888
>> I mean once

1970
00:50:23,888 --> 00:50:25,338
Yeah, and they're fill up.

1971
00:50:25,338 --> 00:50:26,558
I mean, and

1972
00:50:26,558 --> 00:50:28,058
they, they that

1973
00:50:28,058 --> 00:50:29,457
one casino is I

1974
00:50:29,457 --> 00:50:30,657
think 85%

1975
00:50:30,657 --> 00:50:32,308
oxy.

1976
00:50:32,308 --> 00:50:33,778
365. >> So

1977
00:50:33,778 --> 00:50:34,838
30% of my call

1978
00:50:34,838 --> 00:50:37,017
volume.

1979
00:50:37,017 --> 00:50:38,147
And they pay no property

1980
00:50:38,147 --> 00:50:39,847
tax.

1981
00:50:39,847 --> 00:50:41,418
>> No.

1982
00:50:41,418 --> 00:50:42,968
>> Yes sir. Well, you might have

1983
00:50:42,968 --> 00:50:44,338
answered my question there,

1984
00:50:44,338 --> 00:50:45,978
but I was, I was asking

1985
00:50:45,978 --> 00:50:47,537
obviously in,

1986
00:50:47,537 --> 00:50:49,247
in that situation,

1987
00:50:49,247 --> 00:50:50,608
uh,

1988
00:50:50,608 --> 00:50:51,817
our, our tribal

1989
00:50:51,817 --> 00:50:53,307
partners.

1990
00:50:53,307 --> 00:50:54,557
Engaged in

1991
00:50:54,557 --> 00:50:55,768
this issue,

1992
00:50:55,768 --> 00:50:57,277
uh, helping

1993
00:50:57,277 --> 00:50:58,958
financially or

1994
00:50:58,958 --> 00:51:00,578
providing any, any sort

1995
00:51:00,578 --> 00:51:01,557
of services as

1996
00:51:01,557 --> 00:51:03,168
well?

1997
00:51:03,168 --> 00:51:04,367
>> My

1998
00:51:04,367 --> 00:51:06,328
personal experiences

1999
00:51:06,328 --> 00:51:07,847
with my

2000
00:51:07,847 --> 00:51:09,828
tribal is

2001
00:51:09,828 --> 00:51:11,407
if it's trusted land, they

2002
00:51:11,407 --> 00:51:13,008
will not pay property tax

2003
00:51:13,008 --> 00:51:14,687
towards EMS. They don't,

2004
00:51:14,687 --> 00:51:16,208
they feel that that's their

2005
00:51:16,208 --> 00:51:17,608
sovereign land and they're not going to pay

2006
00:51:17,608 --> 00:51:18,997
it. Um,

2007
00:51:18,997 --> 00:51:20,488
I've had discussions all

2008
00:51:20,488 --> 00:51:22,087
the way up to the tribal

2009
00:51:22,087 --> 00:51:23,407
councils, to the,

2010
00:51:23,407 --> 00:51:24,888
um, council members, to the

2011
00:51:24,888 --> 00:51:26,127
chief,

2012
00:51:26,127 --> 00:51:27,048
and they

2013
00:51:27,048 --> 00:51:28,587
just, Don't

2014
00:51:28,587 --> 00:51:30,967
do it.

2015
00:51:30,967 --> 00:51:33,178
>> We've got a question here.

2016
00:51:33,178 --> 00:51:34,867
>> Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

2017
00:51:34,867 --> 00:51:36,418
again, thank you both very much

2018
00:51:36,418 --> 00:51:37,777
for being here today. a lot of

2019
00:51:37,777 --> 00:51:39,217
great information.

2020
00:51:39,217 --> 00:51:40,578
Um, wanna circle back to

2021
00:51:40,578 --> 00:51:42,057
something. I believe you both

2022
00:51:42,057 --> 00:51:43,418
mentioned transfers and

2023
00:51:43,418 --> 00:51:45,178
emergency calls.

2024
00:51:45,178 --> 00:51:47,138
um

2025
00:51:47,138 --> 00:51:49,138
Does one call

2026
00:51:49,138 --> 00:51:50,638
cost more

2027
00:51:50,638 --> 00:51:52,168
than another and how do you

2028
00:51:52,168 --> 00:51:53,557
determine which call

2029
00:51:53,557 --> 00:51:55,567
to take?

2030
00:51:55,567 --> 00:51:57,247
>> So there is a statute

2031
00:51:57,247 --> 00:51:58,728
that says that if it's in

2032
00:51:58,728 --> 00:52:00,168
my, this will kind of answer

2033
00:52:00,168 --> 00:52:02,087
his question over here.

2034
00:52:02,087 --> 00:52:03,448
If it's

2035
00:52:03,448 --> 00:52:04,997
in my service

2036
00:52:04,997 --> 00:52:06,648
district, I have a duty

2037
00:52:06,648 --> 00:52:08,078
to act for

2038
00:52:08,078 --> 00:52:10,168
emergency services.

2039
00:52:10,168 --> 00:52:11,367
Um, if it's a

2040
00:52:11,367 --> 00:52:12,448
transfer, I

2041
00:52:12,448 --> 00:52:14,008
can take it,

2042
00:52:14,008 --> 00:52:15,367
you know, here and there. If it's not an

2043
00:52:15,367 --> 00:52:17,178
emergency transfer,

2044
00:52:17,178 --> 00:52:18,888
um, I can arrange another

2045
00:52:18,888 --> 00:52:20,407
company to come take the transfer and

2046
00:52:20,407 --> 00:52:21,768
things of that nature.

2047
00:52:21,768 --> 00:52:22,127
But

2048
00:52:22,127 --> 00:52:25,758
um,

2049
00:52:25,758 --> 00:52:27,277
Non-emergency transfers will pay

2050
00:52:27,277 --> 00:52:28,508
you more. typically you do

2051
00:52:28,508 --> 00:52:29,918
less.

2052
00:52:29,918 --> 00:52:31,037
A 911

2053
00:52:31,037 --> 00:52:32,918
call, you

2054
00:52:32,918 --> 00:52:34,157
typically do more

2055
00:52:34,157 --> 00:52:35,798
and get paid

2056
00:52:35,798 --> 00:52:37,398
almost nothing. about Medicare

2057
00:52:37,398 --> 00:52:38,358
reimburses that

2058
00:52:38,358 --> 00:52:40,907
are

2059
00:52:40,907 --> 00:52:42,337
Probably around 30 to

2060
00:52:42,337 --> 00:52:43,828
40% depending on where

2061
00:52:43,828 --> 00:52:45,108
you're at, super rural

2062
00:52:45,108 --> 00:52:46,228
rural or, you

2063
00:52:46,228 --> 00:52:48,228
know. So

2064
00:52:48,228 --> 00:52:49,858
we're We're

2065
00:52:49,858 --> 00:52:51,018
like one of the only

2066
00:52:51,018 --> 00:52:52,578
industries that we build

2067
00:52:52,578 --> 00:52:54,018
something and

2068
00:52:54,018 --> 00:52:55,448
then Medicare and the insurance

2069
00:52:55,448 --> 00:52:56,958
companies, come back and turn around

2070
00:52:56,958 --> 00:52:58,057
and say it's only worth

2071
00:52:58,057 --> 00:52:59,537
this.

2072
00:52:59,537 --> 00:53:01,738
So we may bill $1000

2073
00:53:01,738 --> 00:53:03,578
but they may only pay us $350

2074
00:53:03,578 --> 00:53:04,508
and then we have to write it

2075
00:53:04,508 --> 00:53:06,057
off.

2076
00:53:06,057 --> 00:53:07,317
Um, former

2077
00:53:07,317 --> 00:53:08,488
Speaker, uh,

2078
00:53:08,488 --> 00:53:09,967
McCall, when

2079
00:53:09,967 --> 00:53:11,488
I was talking

2080
00:53:11,488 --> 00:53:13,168
with him about this at one point,

2081
00:53:13,168 --> 00:53:14,608
I kind of gave him our business

2082
00:53:14,608 --> 00:53:15,997
plan and I asked him, I said, you're a

2083
00:53:15,997 --> 00:53:17,888
banker, would you loan me money?

2084
00:53:17,888 --> 00:53:18,687
He said, absolutely

2085
00:53:18,687 --> 00:53:21,648
not.

2086
00:53:21,648 --> 00:53:25,608
>> So

2087
00:53:25,608 --> 00:53:27,448
One other thing I was gonna

2088
00:53:27,448 --> 00:53:29,208
on my notes, uh, the bond

2089
00:53:29,208 --> 00:53:30,648
elections. What people don't

2090
00:53:30,648 --> 00:53:32,407
understand is,

2091
00:53:32,407 --> 00:53:33,928
especially on y'all

2092
00:53:33,928 --> 00:53:35,287
in schools and everything

2093
00:53:35,287 --> 00:53:37,367
else, uh,

2094
00:53:37,367 --> 00:53:38,967
try to keep the bond

2095
00:53:38,967 --> 00:53:40,448
going. I mean, when it, when

2096
00:53:40,448 --> 00:53:41,888
the sunset ends, you need

2097
00:53:41,888 --> 00:53:43,127
to renew

2098
00:53:43,127 --> 00:53:44,127
it and,

2099
00:53:44,127 --> 00:53:45,367
uh,

2100
00:53:45,367 --> 00:53:47,027
that's a big plus

2101
00:53:47,027 --> 00:53:48,198
in

2102
00:53:48,198 --> 00:53:50,488
getting.

2103
00:53:50,488 --> 00:53:51,948
Rural people to understand

2104
00:53:51,948 --> 00:53:53,508
that because honestly their

2105
00:53:53,508 --> 00:53:54,907
taxes are not gonna go up because they're

2106
00:53:54,907 --> 00:53:56,347
already paying it, but just keeping

2107
00:53:56,347 --> 00:53:58,307
it going and just

2108
00:53:58,307 --> 00:53:59,627
and uh that's

2109
00:53:59,627 --> 00:54:00,948
a challenge we

2110
00:54:00,948 --> 00:54:02,108
have in rural

2111
00:54:02,108 --> 00:54:03,627
Oklahoma. I know in my

2112
00:54:03,627 --> 00:54:05,027
part of the world he's got

2113
00:54:05,027 --> 00:54:06,187
a school

2114
00:54:06,187 --> 00:54:07,708
that it needs a

2115
00:54:07,708 --> 00:54:09,148
bond and they

2116
00:54:09,148 --> 00:54:11,148
will not they they're

2117
00:54:11,148 --> 00:54:12,668
overflowing, but

2118
00:54:12,668 --> 00:54:14,548
they they will not

2119
00:54:14,548 --> 00:54:16,027
approve a bond to help

2120
00:54:16,027 --> 00:54:17,668
their school. So

2121
00:54:17,668 --> 00:54:19,328
and then that silo

2122
00:54:19,328 --> 00:54:20,948
school so this this

2123
00:54:20,948 --> 00:54:22,508
it's just one of the

2124
00:54:22,508 --> 00:54:23,948
best baseball programs in the

2125
00:54:23,948 --> 00:54:25,508
state, but still I went

2126
00:54:25,508 --> 00:54:27,027
from I know remember when they

2127
00:54:27,027 --> 00:54:28,208
were a now I think they're

2128
00:54:28,208 --> 00:54:29,587
3A. that's

2129
00:54:29,587 --> 00:54:31,108
how fast they've grown in the last

2130
00:54:31,108 --> 00:54:32,148
10 years but

2131
00:54:32,148 --> 00:54:33,747
still

2132
00:54:33,747 --> 00:54:35,298
they can't build nothing because they can't pass

2133
00:54:35,298 --> 00:54:36,548
a bond. so that's the

2134
00:54:36,548 --> 00:54:38,067
challenges rule and

2135
00:54:38,067 --> 00:54:39,307
these E emss

2136
00:54:39,307 --> 00:54:40,907
have and I'm just using that

2137
00:54:40,907 --> 00:54:42,307
for an example from

2138
00:54:42,307 --> 00:54:43,747
my experience

2139
00:54:43,747 --> 00:54:45,777
around.

2140
00:54:45,777 --> 00:54:47,418
Mr. Norton's area like I

2141
00:54:47,418 --> 00:54:49,097
said, him and I have

2142
00:54:49,097 --> 00:54:50,497
worked a lot

2143
00:54:50,497 --> 00:54:52,178
over the years, so it's

2144
00:54:52,178 --> 00:54:53,617
on different matters, but

2145
00:54:53,617 --> 00:54:54,937
still, he, uh,

2146
00:54:54,937 --> 00:54:55,937
he,

2147
00:54:55,937 --> 00:54:57,488
I've

2148
00:54:57,488 --> 00:54:58,888
He, before

2149
00:54:58,888 --> 00:55:00,567
they took

2150
00:55:00,567 --> 00:55:01,848
done road construction, I

2151
00:55:01,848 --> 00:55:03,367
mean, they were,

2152
00:55:03,367 --> 00:55:04,908
it was even worse than

2153
00:55:04,908 --> 00:55:05,328
just the

2154
00:55:05,328 --> 00:55:09,586
casino.

2155
00:55:09,586 --> 00:55:11,266
>> Mr. Chairman, as we

2156
00:55:11,266 --> 00:55:12,307
move into

2157
00:55:12,307 --> 00:55:13,758
the

2158
00:55:13,758 --> 00:55:14,877
Closing remarks

2159
00:55:14,877 --> 00:55:16,677
and questions

2160
00:55:16,677 --> 00:55:18,117
I hope I hope

2161
00:55:18,117 --> 00:55:19,437
continue because we haven't answered

2162
00:55:19,437 --> 00:55:21,047
much so far but

2163
00:55:21,047 --> 00:55:22,718
uh if I may ask

2164
00:55:22,718 --> 00:55:24,348
Marie if you would get

2165
00:55:24,348 --> 00:55:25,917
back to the table and Bobby

2166
00:55:25,917 --> 00:55:27,078
if you would join us as

2167
00:55:27,078 --> 00:55:28,557
well all if we

2168
00:55:28,557 --> 00:55:30,198
have all of our

2169
00:55:30,198 --> 00:55:31,477
presenters and folks that

2170
00:55:31,477 --> 00:55:32,317
uh

2171
00:55:32,317 --> 00:55:33,877
worked worked

2172
00:55:33,877 --> 00:55:34,557
on this

2173
00:55:34,557 --> 00:55:36,367
project.

2174
00:55:36,367 --> 00:55:37,677
I have a question

2175
00:55:37,677 --> 00:55:39,367
for you

2176
00:55:39,367 --> 00:55:41,877
providers there.

2177
00:55:41,877 --> 00:55:42,338
Given

2178
00:55:42,338 --> 00:55:47,218
the

2179
00:55:47,218 --> 00:55:48,788
Rate of

2180
00:55:48,788 --> 00:55:50,218
return, obviously,

2181
00:55:50,218 --> 00:55:52,028
uh, mentioning

2182
00:55:52,028 --> 00:55:53,427
transfers and you

2183
00:55:53,427 --> 00:55:54,828
don't have a hospital in your

2184
00:55:54,828 --> 00:55:55,667
area.

2185
00:55:55,667 --> 00:55:57,148
Uh,

2186
00:55:57,148 --> 00:55:58,468
does, does having a

2187
00:55:58,468 --> 00:55:59,908
healthcare facility in

2188
00:55:59,908 --> 00:56:02,237
your area

2189
00:56:02,237 --> 00:56:03,987
Financially help

2190
00:56:03,987 --> 00:56:05,237
or hurt

2191
00:56:05,237 --> 00:56:07,177
your operation.

2192
00:56:07,177 --> 00:56:08,817
>> It keeps us running.

2193
00:56:08,817 --> 00:56:10,508
>> It does keep you running with

2194
00:56:10,508 --> 00:56:11,977
with transfers.

2195
00:56:11,977 --> 00:56:13,417
Does the second

2196
00:56:13,417 --> 00:56:14,538
follow up to that then I

2197
00:56:14,538 --> 00:56:16,297
guess, has the,

2198
00:56:16,297 --> 00:56:17,737
the growth

2199
00:56:17,737 --> 00:56:18,297
of

2200
00:56:18,297 --> 00:56:21,958
Airmed.

2201
00:56:21,958 --> 00:56:23,278
Lighten your load

2202
00:56:23,278 --> 00:56:25,218
any?

2203
00:56:25,218 --> 00:56:26,538
Or does it is that

2204
00:56:26,538 --> 00:56:27,817
competition?

2205
00:56:27,817 --> 00:56:29,098
No,

2206
00:56:29,098 --> 00:56:31,958
>> no.

2207
00:56:31,958 --> 00:56:33,638
If it's critical,

2208
00:56:33,638 --> 00:56:34,747
the, if it's a critical

2209
00:56:34,747 --> 00:56:36,278
patient, air

2210
00:56:36,278 --> 00:56:37,758
services are great to get

2211
00:56:37,758 --> 00:56:39,508
them out of

2212
00:56:39,508 --> 00:56:41,107
They're really great about getting them out of our

2213
00:56:41,107 --> 00:56:42,727
system. Um, like,

2214
00:56:42,727 --> 00:56:44,187
um, I'll just say for Durant, if I

2215
00:56:44,187 --> 00:56:45,567
have a priority 1 or priority

2216
00:56:45,567 --> 00:56:46,987
2, patient,

2217
00:56:46,987 --> 00:56:48,268
those are the two most extreme

2218
00:56:48,268 --> 00:56:49,898
patients. The air

2219
00:56:49,898 --> 00:56:51,538
services are very

2220
00:56:51,538 --> 00:56:53,328
key component of

2221
00:56:53,328 --> 00:56:54,698
the overall EMS

2222
00:56:54,698 --> 00:56:55,877
system because they get them down

2223
00:56:55,877 --> 00:56:57,338
to typically in

2224
00:56:57,338 --> 00:56:59,098
our area we get them into the Dallas-Fort

2225
00:56:59,098 --> 00:57:00,578
Worth area, um,

2226
00:57:00,578 --> 00:57:02,138
because within

2227
00:57:02,138 --> 00:57:03,698
an hour and a half of Durant,

2228
00:57:03,698 --> 00:57:05,458
there's 7,

2229
00:57:05,458 --> 00:57:06,977
level 1 trauma centres in the

2230
00:57:06,977 --> 00:57:08,497
Dallas-Fort Worth area. There's only

2231
00:57:08,497 --> 00:57:10,578
2 in the state of Oklahoma.

2232
00:57:10,578 --> 00:57:12,518
Um, so.

2233
00:57:12,518 --> 00:57:13,917
Getting those people out of the

2234
00:57:13,917 --> 00:57:14,877
system and getting

2235
00:57:14,877 --> 00:57:16,828
them

2236
00:57:16,828 --> 00:57:18,547
Into a level one facility is

2237
00:57:18,547 --> 00:57:19,908
very critical for

2238
00:57:19,908 --> 00:57:21,307
us and it also

2239
00:57:21,307 --> 00:57:23,547
helps us because.

2240
00:57:23,547 --> 00:57:24,908
Typically in the

2241
00:57:24,908 --> 00:57:26,177
state, anywhere in the state of

2242
00:57:26,177 --> 00:57:27,708
Oklahoma, a hospital

2243
00:57:27,708 --> 00:57:29,187
will transfer to Oklahoma

2244
00:57:29,187 --> 00:57:30,708
City or Tulsa.

2245
00:57:30,708 --> 00:57:32,388
And so

2246
00:57:32,388 --> 00:57:33,788
that costs me a lot

2247
00:57:33,788 --> 00:57:34,828
more time and

2248
00:57:34,828 --> 00:57:36,227
money as far

2249
00:57:36,227 --> 00:57:37,788
as It, it's

2250
00:57:37,788 --> 00:57:39,187
more or less, it costs me a lot of

2251
00:57:39,187 --> 00:57:40,667
time because I have to send a crew out

2252
00:57:40,667 --> 00:57:42,198
for 8 hours and

2253
00:57:42,198 --> 00:57:43,297
that's 8 hours

2254
00:57:43,297 --> 00:57:44,828
that my other

2255
00:57:44,828 --> 00:57:46,388
crews have to make up the slack

2256
00:57:46,388 --> 00:57:48,187
on running all the extra 911

2257
00:57:48,187 --> 00:57:49,588
calls because the 911 calls don't

2258
00:57:49,588 --> 00:57:51,598
stop while they're on a transfer.

2259
00:57:51,598 --> 00:57:53,028
So it, it winds up

2260
00:57:53,028 --> 00:57:54,388
costing me time,

2261
00:57:54,388 --> 00:57:55,708
fatigue,

2262
00:57:55,708 --> 00:57:57,148
crews, health, and

2263
00:57:57,148 --> 00:57:58,667
so on. >> Let

2264
00:57:58,667 --> 00:58:00,107
me ask then, I'm, I'm

2265
00:58:00,107 --> 00:58:01,968
assuming the volume.

2266
00:58:01,968 --> 00:58:03,408
Uh, of your calls,

2267
00:58:03,408 --> 00:58:04,927
uh, remote rural

2268
00:58:04,927 --> 00:58:07,008
areas, auto accidents

2269
00:58:07,008 --> 00:58:08,328
more than anything.

2270
00:58:08,328 --> 00:58:09,848
Probably if, if

2271
00:58:09,848 --> 00:58:11,420
you're called on

2272
00:58:11,420 --> 00:58:12,900
an auto accident in a rural

2273
00:58:12,900 --> 00:58:14,571
area and the

2274
00:58:14,571 --> 00:58:16,101
opportunity comes in where

2275
00:58:16,101 --> 00:58:17,620
Med will pick them

2276
00:58:17,620 --> 00:58:19,340
up and transport them,

2277
00:58:19,340 --> 00:58:21,061
since you don't transport a patient,

2278
00:58:21,061 --> 00:58:22,821
but you provide on-site

2279
00:58:22,821 --> 00:58:24,290
care there, do you still

2280
00:58:24,290 --> 00:58:25,700
get paid? >> So we're

2281
00:58:25,700 --> 00:58:27,260
allowed on that situation,

2282
00:58:27,260 --> 00:58:28,581
we, we do bill the base

2283
00:58:28,581 --> 00:58:30,540
rate. We don't bill any,

2284
00:58:30,540 --> 00:58:32,010
typically in EMS you bill base

2285
00:58:32,010 --> 00:58:33,821
rate and, um,

2286
00:58:33,821 --> 00:58:35,510
uh, mileage.

2287
00:58:35,510 --> 00:58:36,991
But when we do that and we

2288
00:58:36,991 --> 00:58:38,470
transfer them to the helicopter, we

2289
00:58:38,470 --> 00:58:40,310
just bill the base rate

2290
00:58:40,310 --> 00:58:40,990
of our

2291
00:58:40,990 --> 00:58:43,591
call.

2292
00:58:43,591 --> 00:58:44,661
and that kind of leads

2293
00:58:44,661 --> 00:58:46,150
into, I'm sorry if

2294
00:58:46,150 --> 00:58:47,510
I hijack your question

2295
00:58:47,510 --> 00:58:49,111
here. Um,

2296
00:58:49,111 --> 00:58:50,620
there is a

2297
00:58:50,620 --> 00:58:52,150
push right now for EMS

2298
00:58:52,150 --> 00:58:52,951
to do treatment in

2299
00:58:52,951 --> 00:58:54,501
place.

2300
00:58:54,501 --> 00:58:56,060
Um, because we

2301
00:58:56,060 --> 00:58:57,521
do get a lot of that, come check

2302
00:58:57,521 --> 00:58:59,021
me out, come see

2303
00:58:59,021 --> 00:59:00,780
this, come see that because

2304
00:59:00,780 --> 00:59:01,720
we really become

2305
00:59:01,720 --> 00:59:03,100
the

2306
00:59:03,100 --> 00:59:04,580
healthcare system to a lot of

2307
00:59:04,580 --> 00:59:06,641
people, um,

2308
00:59:06,641 --> 00:59:08,071
But there's no avenues right

2309
00:59:08,071 --> 00:59:09,740
now to fund that.

2310
00:59:09,740 --> 00:59:11,320
There, there is a,

2311
00:59:11,320 --> 00:59:12,841
the big beautiful bill gave a

2312
00:59:12,841 --> 00:59:14,711
little bit of grant money

2313
00:59:14,711 --> 00:59:16,440
to pay

2314
00:59:16,440 --> 00:59:17,961
for some trucks and some training

2315
00:59:17,961 --> 00:59:19,921
and, and, and,

2316
00:59:19,921 --> 00:59:21,470
one time. When that runs

2317
00:59:21,470 --> 00:59:23,440
out, there's no avenue,

2318
00:59:23,440 --> 00:59:25,851
um.

2319
00:59:25,851 --> 00:59:27,290
Medicaid's not there to

2320
00:59:27,290 --> 00:59:28,690
pay the, the, you

2321
00:59:28,690 --> 00:59:29,250
know, state of

2322
00:59:29,250 --> 00:59:31,491
Texas.

2323
00:59:31,491 --> 00:59:33,051
Uh, passed a law to

2324
00:59:33,051 --> 00:59:34,570
make their insurance, private

2325
00:59:34,570 --> 00:59:35,930
insurance and Medicaid pay

2326
00:59:35,930 --> 00:59:37,811
for treatment in place.

2327
00:59:37,811 --> 00:59:38,940
Oklahoma doesn't have that

2328
00:59:38,940 --> 00:59:40,000
law.

2329
00:59:40,000 --> 00:59:41,440
So

2330
00:59:41,440 --> 00:59:42,760
And, and it's

2331
00:59:42,760 --> 00:59:44,201
becoming expected of us

2332
00:59:44,201 --> 00:59:45,760
to do that, go treat people

2333
00:59:45,760 --> 00:59:47,281
in place,

2334
00:59:47,281 --> 00:59:48,760
especially diabetics, things of

2335
00:59:48,760 --> 00:59:50,400
that nature. Um,

2336
00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:51,841
we go treat them and then you're

2337
00:59:51,841 --> 00:59:53,440
talking about cost of a 911

2338
00:59:53,440 --> 00:59:54,921
versus a, uh, not

2339
00:59:54,921 --> 00:59:56,801
a deal. If

2340
00:59:56,801 --> 00:59:57,720
I go and

2341
00:59:57,720 --> 00:59:59,161
give, say

2342
00:59:59,161 --> 01:00:00,330
glucagon, which is a

2343
01:00:00,330 --> 01:00:01,820
diabetic medication,

2344
01:00:01,820 --> 01:00:03,760
um, if I give it to somebody,

2345
01:00:03,760 --> 01:00:05,281
glucagon is about $400

2346
01:00:05,281 --> 01:00:06,921
a dose.

2347
01:00:06,921 --> 01:00:08,680
And I get no reimbursement

2348
01:00:08,680 --> 01:00:10,220
from that. It costs me

2349
01:00:10,220 --> 01:00:11,881
about $125

2350
01:00:11,881 --> 01:00:13,201
to $135 an

2351
01:00:13,201 --> 01:00:14,720
hour to run an ambulance.

2352
01:00:14,720 --> 01:00:16,659
So one hour.

2353
01:00:16,659 --> 01:00:18,239
$400 dose,

2354
01:00:18,239 --> 01:00:19,899
$135

2355
01:00:19,899 --> 01:00:21,299
to run the ambulance, that's pay

2356
01:00:21,299 --> 01:00:22,819
and fuel, diesel, wear

2357
01:00:22,819 --> 01:00:24,200
and tear.

2358
01:00:24,200 --> 01:00:25,640
So one call cost

2359
01:00:25,640 --> 01:00:27,140
me over $500

2360
01:00:27,140 --> 01:00:27,730
and I get no

2361
01:00:27,730 --> 01:00:30,530
reimbursement.

2362
01:00:30,530 --> 01:00:31,610
And that's, that

2363
01:00:31,610 --> 01:00:33,170
happens.

2364
01:00:33,170 --> 01:00:34,810
When I first started 29 years

2365
01:00:34,810 --> 01:00:36,271
ago, we probably ran

2366
01:00:36,271 --> 01:00:37,860
5% treatment,

2367
01:00:37,860 --> 01:00:39,771
no transport. Today,

2368
01:00:39,771 --> 01:00:41,131
I think we're up into the

2369
01:00:41,131 --> 01:00:42,450
2020 to

2370
01:00:42,450 --> 01:00:43,771
30% depending on

2371
01:00:43,771 --> 01:00:45,461
what District

2372
01:00:45,461 --> 01:00:47,181
you're in?

2373
01:00:47,181 --> 01:00:48,741
>> Well, that's, that's good to

2374
01:00:48,741 --> 01:00:50,220
note. I've made

2375
01:00:50,220 --> 01:00:51,461
a note myself here if,

2376
01:00:51,461 --> 01:00:53,101
if our neighbour

2377
01:00:53,101 --> 01:00:54,420
to the south has done

2378
01:00:54,420 --> 01:00:56,220
something that actually helped

2379
01:00:56,220 --> 01:00:57,661
and, and we have yet to move

2380
01:00:57,661 --> 01:00:59,301
on that, Bobby

2381
01:00:59,301 --> 01:01:00,741
can get us details that may

2382
01:01:00,741 --> 01:01:01,741
be something we want to

2383
01:01:01,741 --> 01:01:05,000
try.

2384
01:01:05,000 --> 01:01:06,411
>> The big kicker on treatment

2385
01:01:06,411 --> 01:01:07,840
in place is Medicare. It'll

2386
01:01:07,840 --> 01:01:09,371
take the federal CMs

2387
01:01:09,371 --> 01:01:10,051
to change their

2388
01:01:10,051 --> 01:01:11,901
rules.

2389
01:01:11,901 --> 01:01:13,301
That's a bigger deal,

2390
01:01:13,301 --> 01:01:14,700
but locally we can

2391
01:01:14,700 --> 01:01:16,301
affect Medicaid and private

2392
01:01:16,301 --> 01:01:20,500
insurance.

2393
01:01:20,500 --> 01:01:21,780
>> Back to your

2394
01:01:21,780 --> 01:01:23,340
presentation and then your

2395
01:01:23,340 --> 01:01:24,980
clarification of

2396
01:01:24,980 --> 01:01:25,741
something

2397
01:01:25,741 --> 01:01:29,220
that

2398
01:01:29,220 --> 01:01:31,351
Up to 3 meals.

2399
01:01:31,351 --> 01:01:33,250
And

2400
01:01:33,250 --> 01:01:34,690
In addition to that would

2401
01:01:34,690 --> 01:01:36,051
be in the form of a

2402
01:01:36,051 --> 01:01:37,011
bond with a

2403
01:01:37,011 --> 01:01:38,211
specific

2404
01:01:38,211 --> 01:01:39,750
proposal.

2405
01:01:39,750 --> 01:01:41,700
Is that correct?

2406
01:01:41,700 --> 01:01:43,131
>> Yes. Yeah, so the

2407
01:01:43,131 --> 01:01:44,700
initial 3 mills is to fund

2408
01:01:44,700 --> 01:01:46,181
the operations like he said, and

2409
01:01:46,181 --> 01:01:47,661
that's a good clarification. I probably didn't

2410
01:01:47,661 --> 01:01:49,220
make that super clear. The

2411
01:01:49,220 --> 01:01:50,780
additional 3 would be for a

2412
01:01:50,780 --> 01:01:52,291
specific to build

2413
01:01:52,291 --> 01:01:53,580
a facility, buy more

2414
01:01:53,580 --> 01:01:54,940
trucks, and so it's in the form of a

2415
01:01:54,940 --> 01:01:56,621
bond. And so that mills

2416
01:01:56,621 --> 01:01:58,301
then I guess funds a sinking

2417
01:01:58,301 --> 01:01:59,750
fund to pay for that.

2418
01:01:59,750 --> 01:02:00,940
>> And, and that would be for

2419
01:02:00,940 --> 01:02:02,491
a specific project

2420
01:02:02,491 --> 01:02:04,151
for a specific amount of time

2421
01:02:04,151 --> 01:02:05,511
and then it would drop off.

2422
01:02:05,511 --> 01:02:06,950
Yes, >> yeah, you have,

2423
01:02:06,950 --> 01:02:08,310
and it has to be a vote of the

2424
01:02:08,310 --> 01:02:09,871
people every time, so

2425
01:02:09,871 --> 01:02:11,411
you have to be pretty

2426
01:02:11,411 --> 01:02:12,621
specific on the

2427
01:02:12,621 --> 01:02:18,730
ballot.

2428
01:02:18,730 --> 01:02:20,330
>> You talked about the number of fire

2429
01:02:20,330 --> 01:02:22,011
departments, uh, in your

2430
01:02:22,011 --> 01:02:23,410
response area. How many of

2431
01:02:23,410 --> 01:02:25,091
them are medical first

2432
01:02:25,091 --> 01:02:26,491
response? Are you

2433
01:02:26,491 --> 01:02:27,781
providing all of it?

2434
01:02:27,781 --> 01:02:29,211
>> I, I have one

2435
01:02:29,211 --> 01:02:30,531
that is an actual certified

2436
01:02:30,531 --> 01:02:32,121
EMR agency, and that's the paid

2437
01:02:32,121 --> 01:02:33,610
department of Durant. The rest

2438
01:02:33,610 --> 01:02:35,130
of them, they'll come out if

2439
01:02:35,130 --> 01:02:36,531
we ask for help,

2440
01:02:36,531 --> 01:02:38,051
um, but they're not an

2441
01:02:38,051 --> 01:02:39,580
EMR agency. And

2442
01:02:39,580 --> 01:02:41,260
a lot of them have,

2443
01:02:41,260 --> 01:02:42,621
which like I take

2444
01:02:42,621 --> 01:02:44,181
cholera, like a lot

2445
01:02:44,181 --> 01:02:45,700
of the guys that are on Calera

2446
01:02:45,700 --> 01:02:47,061
work for either,

2447
01:02:47,061 --> 01:02:48,540
uh, um, they work

2448
01:02:48,540 --> 01:02:49,941
for EMS or they work

2449
01:02:49,941 --> 01:02:51,420
for, you know,

2450
01:02:51,420 --> 01:02:53,021
so there's a lot of trained volunteer

2451
01:02:53,021 --> 01:02:54,501
firemen that are EMT basics

2452
01:02:54,501 --> 01:02:56,980
all the way to paramedics.

2453
01:02:56,980 --> 01:02:58,580
So most of them don't do,

2454
01:02:58,580 --> 01:03:00,380
most agencies,

2455
01:03:00,380 --> 01:03:01,871
a lot of your volunteer departments don't do

2456
01:03:01,871 --> 01:03:03,181
the EMR, the

2457
01:03:03,181 --> 01:03:04,540
actual state licenser

2458
01:03:04,540 --> 01:03:06,061
for EMR agency

2459
01:03:06,061 --> 01:03:07,580
because it's, It's one

2460
01:03:07,580 --> 01:03:09,110
more hoop as a volunteer. It's

2461
01:03:09,110 --> 01:03:10,830
one more thing you got to do as a volunteer

2462
01:03:10,830 --> 01:03:11,681
and you

2463
01:03:11,681 --> 01:03:13,151
know,

2464
01:03:13,151 --> 01:03:14,070
volunteerism

2465
01:03:14,070 --> 01:03:15,790
is,

2466
01:03:15,790 --> 01:03:16,910
no, we're not looking for more

2467
01:03:16,910 --> 01:03:18,450
responsibility and then

2468
01:03:18,450 --> 01:03:19,871
when the state calls you got to meet

2469
01:03:19,871 --> 01:03:21,350
them, take,

2470
01:03:21,350 --> 01:03:22,910
you gotta take off work to go

2471
01:03:22,910 --> 01:03:24,390
meet them at our station for

2472
01:03:24,390 --> 01:03:26,670
them to do an inspection.

2473
01:03:26,670 --> 01:03:28,251
you know, so it's But

2474
01:03:28,251 --> 01:03:29,811
they're there and they are trained and

2475
01:03:29,811 --> 01:03:31,471
they, and they, they help

2476
01:03:31,471 --> 01:03:33,170
tremendously. >> They're trained,

2477
01:03:33,170 --> 01:03:34,330
but they, because they are

2478
01:03:34,330 --> 01:03:36,091
not EMR certified,

2479
01:03:36,091 --> 01:03:37,771
they're not carrying any equipment.

2480
01:03:37,771 --> 01:03:39,110
>> They carry oxygen

2481
01:03:39,110 --> 01:03:40,531
and first aid.

2482
01:03:40,531 --> 01:03:41,811
So, and so they

2483
01:03:41,811 --> 01:03:43,091
basically can stabilize a

2484
01:03:43,091 --> 01:03:44,570
patient if they're bleeding out

2485
01:03:44,570 --> 01:03:46,200
or something like that

2486
01:03:46,200 --> 01:03:47,051
until the ambulance gets

2487
01:03:47,051 --> 01:03:48,741
there.

2488
01:03:48,741 --> 01:03:50,260
So go ahead, I'm

2489
01:03:50,260 --> 01:03:51,501
sorry. >> follow up, Mr.

2490
01:03:51,501 --> 01:03:52,801
Chair.

2491
01:03:52,801 --> 01:03:53,931
Uh,

2492
01:03:53,931 --> 01:03:55,531
so, kind of

2493
01:03:55,531 --> 01:03:57,130
along those, along

2494
01:03:57,130 --> 01:03:58,610
those lines,

2495
01:03:58,610 --> 01:03:59,811
uh, well, actually

2496
01:03:59,811 --> 01:04:01,170
circling, circling back to

2497
01:04:01,170 --> 01:04:02,610
what you said

2498
01:04:02,610 --> 01:04:04,170
before, what kind of, what's

2499
01:04:04,170 --> 01:04:05,410
your percentage of

2500
01:04:05,410 --> 01:04:07,211
overall build

2501
01:04:07,211 --> 01:04:08,211
that you actually

2502
01:04:08,211 --> 01:04:09,610
collect?

2503
01:04:09,610 --> 01:04:11,130
>> Uh, I think right now we're

2504
01:04:11,130 --> 01:04:12,910
at 22%.

2505
01:04:12,910 --> 01:04:14,931
At Bryan County.

2506
01:04:14,931 --> 01:04:16,420
>> Is yours >> similar,

2507
01:04:16,420 --> 01:04:17,901
yes. >> So

2508
01:04:17,901 --> 01:04:19,540
I, I think that's important for people

2509
01:04:19,540 --> 01:04:20,700
to understand

2510
01:04:20,700 --> 01:04:22,501
that of the actual

2511
01:04:22,501 --> 01:04:24,241
bill.

2512
01:04:24,241 --> 01:04:25,790
So you told us

2513
01:04:25,790 --> 01:04:27,630
how little this millage

2514
01:04:27,630 --> 01:04:29,191
actually pays

2515
01:04:29,191 --> 01:04:30,850
to sustain your system

2516
01:04:30,850 --> 01:04:31,630
and then what you're

2517
01:04:31,630 --> 01:04:33,221
billing.

2518
01:04:33,221 --> 01:04:33,941
is

2519
01:04:33,941 --> 01:04:36,160
22%.

2520
01:04:36,160 --> 01:04:37,480
Of what you actually, the

2521
01:04:37,480 --> 01:04:39,080
actual bill and

2522
01:04:39,080 --> 01:04:40,681
like you said, Medicare,

2523
01:04:40,681 --> 01:04:42,121
Medicaid,

2524
01:04:42,121 --> 01:04:43,360
private insurance is telling

2525
01:04:43,360 --> 01:04:45,241
you what

2526
01:04:45,241 --> 01:04:47,561
they're going to reimburse.

2527
01:04:47,561 --> 01:04:49,070
So to

2528
01:04:49,070 --> 01:04:51,051
your point, that's

2529
01:04:51,051 --> 01:04:52,721
none of us would go into that business

2530
01:04:52,721 --> 01:04:54,341
model.

2531
01:04:54,341 --> 01:04:55,790
So

2532
01:04:55,790 --> 01:04:57,251
What Texas has done

2533
01:04:57,251 --> 01:04:58,390
with the treatment in

2534
01:04:58,390 --> 01:05:00,151
place because

2535
01:05:00,151 --> 01:05:02,151
as a, as a longtime

2536
01:05:02,151 --> 01:05:03,591
firefighter and and being

2537
01:05:03,591 --> 01:05:05,010
in this.

2538
01:05:05,010 --> 01:05:06,410
And I, I would

2539
01:05:06,410 --> 01:05:07,691
think it would

2540
01:05:07,691 --> 01:05:09,251
maybe worse in

2541
01:05:09,251 --> 01:05:11,130
the rural areas.

2542
01:05:11,130 --> 01:05:12,480
911 is

2543
01:05:12,480 --> 01:05:14,070
people's  into

2544
01:05:14,070 --> 01:05:14,850
the medical

2545
01:05:14,850 --> 01:05:16,420
system.

2546
01:05:16,420 --> 01:05:18,061
How much do you think treatment

2547
01:05:18,061 --> 01:05:19,600
in place would change

2548
01:05:19,600 --> 01:05:20,901
the game for your

2549
01:05:20,901 --> 01:05:24,360
services?

2550
01:05:24,360 --> 01:05:25,950
>> I, I think it has a,

2551
01:05:25,950 --> 01:05:27,241
a, a big, it'll have a

2552
01:05:27,241 --> 01:05:28,721
big impact on us because we,

2553
01:05:28,721 --> 01:05:30,200
we get right now, we get a lot

2554
01:05:30,200 --> 01:05:30,600
of people

2555
01:05:30,600 --> 01:05:33,001
that

2556
01:05:33,001 --> 01:05:35,080
They just wanna,

2557
01:05:35,080 --> 01:05:36,681
we transport a lot of stuff that doesn't

2558
01:05:36,681 --> 01:05:38,040
need to be transported. I'll say

2559
01:05:38,040 --> 01:05:39,760
that

2560
01:05:39,760 --> 01:05:41,151
non-emergency like we'll get called

2561
01:05:41,151 --> 01:05:42,760
911 and we'll still

2562
01:05:42,760 --> 01:05:43,640
transport them even

2563
01:05:43,640 --> 01:05:45,110
though

2564
01:05:45,110 --> 01:05:46,471
Probably maybe they shouldn't

2565
01:05:46,471 --> 01:05:48,110
go by EMS, but they do

2566
01:05:48,110 --> 01:05:49,591
because they want to go. They tell us they

2567
01:05:49,591 --> 01:05:50,510
want to go and so we take

2568
01:05:50,510 --> 01:05:51,941
them.

2569
01:05:51,941 --> 01:05:53,461
If we had that more of an

2570
01:05:53,461 --> 01:05:54,781
option to be more aggressive

2571
01:05:54,781 --> 01:05:56,461
towards treatment in place,

2572
01:05:56,461 --> 01:05:57,901
there's a lot of things that could probably

2573
01:05:57,901 --> 01:05:59,651
be, hey, treat in place,

2574
01:05:59,651 --> 01:06:01,061
could go see your private, your

2575
01:06:01,061 --> 01:06:02,501
doctor, you know, on

2576
01:06:02,501 --> 01:06:03,580
Tuesday, whatever you need to

2577
01:06:03,580 --> 01:06:04,501
do.

2578
01:06:04,501 --> 01:06:06,140
Um,

2579
01:06:06,140 --> 01:06:07,860
And

2580
01:06:07,860 --> 01:06:09,330
But right now it's not a

2581
01:06:09,330 --> 01:06:10,820
big push, you know, like, as

2582
01:06:10,820 --> 01:06:12,580
a, as a chief, I'm not

2583
01:06:12,580 --> 01:06:14,260
pushing.

2584
01:06:14,260 --> 01:06:15,660
I mean, I'm never telling my

2585
01:06:15,660 --> 01:06:17,241
crews to force people

2586
01:06:17,241 --> 01:06:18,860
to go to the hospital, you know, if they

2587
01:06:18,860 --> 01:06:20,301
refuse, instruct

2588
01:06:20,301 --> 01:06:21,901
them of the, the, of what

2589
01:06:21,901 --> 01:06:23,461
could happen, you know,

2590
01:06:23,461 --> 01:06:24,890
give them the worst case scenario

2591
01:06:24,890 --> 01:06:26,181
and ask them to

2592
01:06:26,181 --> 01:06:27,380
go. But if they

2593
01:06:27,380 --> 01:06:28,741
refuse, you know, they still

2594
01:06:28,741 --> 01:06:30,181
refuse. But at the same

2595
01:06:30,181 --> 01:06:31,660
time, I think if you had the

2596
01:06:31,660 --> 01:06:33,420
option to give them more

2597
01:06:33,420 --> 01:06:34,980
treatment, And

2598
01:06:34,980 --> 01:06:36,461
give them have, and that, that's

2599
01:06:36,461 --> 01:06:38,061
another component of treatment in place

2600
01:06:38,061 --> 01:06:39,681
is that there's a lot of stuff built in

2601
01:06:39,681 --> 01:06:41,321
to help get them into

2602
01:06:41,321 --> 01:06:42,621
this facility, into

2603
01:06:42,621 --> 01:06:44,261
a, a primary

2604
01:06:44,261 --> 01:06:45,730
care physician, an urgent care

2605
01:06:45,730 --> 01:06:47,061
or something of that nature. There's,

2606
01:06:47,061 --> 01:06:49,050
there's

2607
01:06:49,050 --> 01:06:50,410
There's a book, you know, there's a

2608
01:06:50,410 --> 01:06:51,850
protocol for that

2609
01:06:51,850 --> 01:06:53,290
to help get them introduced

2610
01:06:53,290 --> 01:06:54,850
into the healthcare system in

2611
01:06:54,850 --> 01:06:56,329
a different way

2612
01:06:56,329 --> 01:06:58,009
that doesn't tax the ERs

2613
01:06:58,009 --> 01:06:59,449
and the EMS system and

2614
01:06:59,449 --> 01:07:00,769
stuff over time,

2615
01:07:00,769 --> 01:07:02,241
so. >> I

2616
01:07:02,241 --> 01:07:03,840
was just gonna add, I mean, you've

2617
01:07:03,840 --> 01:07:05,241
probably seen there is a

2618
01:07:05,241 --> 01:07:06,720
new push to for this rural

2619
01:07:06,720 --> 01:07:08,371
health transformation

2620
01:07:08,371 --> 01:07:09,641
project again,

2621
01:07:09,641 --> 01:07:11,121
great, still have to apply for a

2622
01:07:11,121 --> 01:07:12,960
grant, you know,

2623
01:07:12,960 --> 01:07:14,470
I'm 26

2624
01:07:14,470 --> 01:07:15,751
employees and one director with an

2625
01:07:15,751 --> 01:07:17,241
admin trying to manage a

2626
01:07:17,241 --> 01:07:18,720
grant grant compliance.

2627
01:07:18,720 --> 01:07:20,241
I mean. You know, but

2628
01:07:20,241 --> 01:07:21,641
it's, it is a push for kind of

2629
01:07:21,641 --> 01:07:23,001
a community paramedic

2630
01:07:23,001 --> 01:07:24,431
type program

2631
01:07:24,431 --> 01:07:25,920
which would benefit us. I

2632
01:07:25,920 --> 01:07:27,400
mean, everyone in the state,

2633
01:07:27,400 --> 01:07:29,241
especially in these rural areas.

2634
01:07:29,241 --> 01:07:30,801
um, but then once that

2635
01:07:30,801 --> 01:07:32,280
money runs out, what happens? Now

2636
01:07:32,280 --> 01:07:33,761
I've got a program in place and I

2637
01:07:33,761 --> 01:07:35,400
have to sustain it.

2638
01:07:35,400 --> 01:07:36,920
So, you know, a lot of what

2639
01:07:36,920 --> 01:07:38,201
we talked about at the beginning is

2640
01:07:38,201 --> 01:07:39,891
sustainability.

2641
01:07:39,891 --> 01:07:41,061
There is that whole piece of

2642
01:07:41,061 --> 01:07:42,491
reimbursement, which is a whole

2643
01:07:42,491 --> 01:07:43,811
another bucket

2644
01:07:43,811 --> 01:07:45,201
that at least as

2645
01:07:45,201 --> 01:07:46,931
as the one group and

2646
01:07:46,931 --> 01:07:48,451
you know, we don't even

2647
01:07:48,451 --> 01:07:49,931
feel like tackling that because

2648
01:07:49,931 --> 01:07:51,331
that involves

2649
01:07:51,331 --> 01:07:52,730
large insurance companies

2650
01:07:52,730 --> 01:07:53,931
and we don't have the

2651
01:07:53,931 --> 01:07:55,371
ability to

2652
01:07:55,371 --> 01:07:56,970
even start

2653
01:07:56,970 --> 01:07:58,391
that conversation.

2654
01:07:58,391 --> 01:07:59,451
So for us looking at

2655
01:07:59,451 --> 01:08:00,931
sustainability,

2656
01:08:00,931 --> 01:08:02,391
again, options are out there for

2657
01:08:02,391 --> 01:08:03,491
grants, but for

2658
01:08:03,491 --> 01:08:04,931
me, trying to manage

2659
01:08:04,931 --> 01:08:06,290
6 grants.

2660
01:08:06,290 --> 01:08:07,891
It's difficult. Like I have to

2661
01:08:07,891 --> 01:08:09,491
hire someone just to manage the grant,

2662
01:08:09,491 --> 01:08:10,891
you know. So,

2663
01:08:10,891 --> 01:08:12,491
um, but definitely

2664
01:08:12,491 --> 01:08:13,931
having the ability to treat these

2665
01:08:13,931 --> 01:08:15,451
people who just don't have a

2666
01:08:15,451 --> 01:08:16,730
ride. They couldn't make their

2667
01:08:16,730 --> 01:08:18,491
dialysis. They,

2668
01:08:18,491 --> 01:08:19,970
you know, so many things that we

2669
01:08:19,970 --> 01:08:21,571
see people for that really don't

2670
01:08:21,571 --> 01:08:23,121
need to go in an ambulance to an

2671
01:08:23,121 --> 01:08:24,691
emergency room

2672
01:08:24,691 --> 01:08:26,290
to, you know, clog

2673
01:08:26,290 --> 01:08:27,650
up the system.

2674
01:08:27,650 --> 01:08:29,210
But we treat them, we take care

2675
01:08:29,210 --> 01:08:30,730
of them because

2676
01:08:30,730 --> 01:08:31,210
that's what we

2677
01:08:31,210 --> 01:08:34,641
do.

2678
01:08:34,641 --> 01:08:36,040
>> Mr. Chairman.

2679
01:08:36,040 --> 01:08:37,520
So again kind of circling

2680
01:08:37,520 --> 01:08:38,881
back to the beginning, you

2681
01:08:38,881 --> 01:08:40,480
respond outside outside

2682
01:08:40,480 --> 01:08:42,241
your district obviously

2683
01:08:42,241 --> 01:08:44,280
you bill.

2684
01:08:44,280 --> 01:08:45,730
But you can't bill more than

2685
01:08:45,730 --> 01:08:47,090
what you're, you're billing

2686
01:08:47,090 --> 01:08:48,451
for other than

2687
01:08:48,451 --> 01:08:49,891
mileage. The people that

2688
01:08:49,891 --> 01:08:51,331
are actually paying the freight on

2689
01:08:51,331 --> 01:08:52,540
their property tax, can

2690
01:08:52,540 --> 01:08:54,040
you?

2691
01:08:54,040 --> 01:08:55,561
Is it, is it the

2692
01:08:55,561 --> 01:08:57,100
same rate? >> Yeah,

2693
01:08:57,100 --> 01:08:58,561
we don't, we don't have a different

2694
01:08:58,561 --> 01:09:00,071
rate for in county or out of

2695
01:09:00,071 --> 01:09:01,270
county, so,

2696
01:09:01,270 --> 01:09:03,030
uh.

2697
01:09:03,030 --> 01:09:03,191
>> Thank

2698
01:09:03,191 --> 01:09:06,150
you.

2699
01:09:06,150 --> 01:09:07,881
>> Go ahead.

2700
01:09:07,881 --> 01:09:09,761
>> This is probably more

2701
01:09:09,761 --> 01:09:11,590
more of a statement.

2702
01:09:11,590 --> 01:09:13,141
But we're going to have to figure

2703
01:09:13,141 --> 01:09:14,801
out Another

2704
01:09:14,801 --> 01:09:16,280
form of funding, at least where

2705
01:09:16,280 --> 01:09:17,831
I'm from, representing

2706
01:09:17,831 --> 01:09:19,431
dempsey.

2707
01:09:19,431 --> 01:09:20,590
You're just not going to pass a

2708
01:09:20,590 --> 01:09:22,191
bond. the

2709
01:09:22,191 --> 01:09:23,631
landowners,

2710
01:09:23,631 --> 01:09:25,030
um, I know the schools

2711
01:09:25,030 --> 01:09:26,790
just had recently one at Stillwell.

2712
01:09:26,790 --> 01:09:28,191
The landowners in

2713
01:09:28,191 --> 01:09:29,670
my area, you know,

2714
01:09:29,670 --> 01:09:31,391
they, they look at it like,

2715
01:09:31,391 --> 01:09:32,871
why are we footing the

2716
01:09:32,871 --> 01:09:34,230
bill for everything? That's why I was

2717
01:09:34,230 --> 01:09:35,871
asking about sales tax

2718
01:09:35,871 --> 01:09:37,780
because

2719
01:09:37,780 --> 01:09:39,311
We, we need it. We need the

2720
01:09:39,311 --> 01:09:40,350
money. We need more

2721
01:09:40,350 --> 01:09:41,811
ambulances.

2722
01:09:41,811 --> 01:09:43,350
when you need it, you need it, but when you

2723
01:09:43,350 --> 01:09:44,871
don't, nobody thinks about it. So

2724
01:09:44,871 --> 01:09:46,150
that's why you're not going to get a bond

2725
01:09:46,150 --> 01:09:47,631
passed. Um,

2726
01:09:47,631 --> 01:09:49,133
so again, I don't know

2727
01:09:49,133 --> 01:09:50,704
what the solution

2728
01:09:50,704 --> 01:09:52,253
is, but

2729
01:09:52,253 --> 01:09:53,524
We're going to have to look at other

2730
01:09:53,524 --> 01:09:55,014
means than going after

2731
01:09:55,014 --> 01:09:56,484
the landowners, at least where I

2732
01:09:56,484 --> 01:09:57,894
live. And, uh, I'm,

2733
01:09:57,894 --> 01:09:59,454
I'm definitely behind all of this,

2734
01:09:59,454 --> 01:10:00,874
but we just have to figure out

2735
01:10:00,874 --> 01:10:02,294
another path. >> No,

2736
01:10:02,294 --> 01:10:03,813
we, we, we 100% agree

2737
01:10:03,813 --> 01:10:05,253
with you because when we first started

2738
01:10:05,253 --> 01:10:06,833
coming up here, we were trying to get

2739
01:10:06,833 --> 01:10:08,384
the cap, a state

2740
01:10:08,384 --> 01:10:09,614
question to get the cap on the 3

2741
01:10:09,614 --> 01:10:11,053
mills removed so that people

2742
01:10:11,053 --> 01:10:12,614
could vote whatever they

2743
01:10:12,614 --> 01:10:14,134
wanted, you know.

2744
01:10:14,134 --> 01:10:15,334
And of course, big

2745
01:10:15,334 --> 01:10:16,774
landowners, big

2746
01:10:16,774 --> 01:10:18,294
companies that have big stakes in

2747
01:10:18,294 --> 01:10:20,174
property taxes

2748
01:10:20,174 --> 01:10:21,373
really fought that and got rid of

2749
01:10:21,373 --> 01:10:23,033
that. And then, uh,

2750
01:10:23,033 --> 01:10:24,494
with Representative Newton

2751
01:10:24,494 --> 01:10:25,693
and we got House Bill

2752
01:10:25,693 --> 01:10:27,193
1960 passed, that was the

2753
01:10:27,193 --> 01:10:28,794
1 in sales tax.

2754
01:10:28,794 --> 01:10:29,564
So there's

2755
01:10:29,564 --> 01:10:31,724
now

2756
01:10:31,724 --> 01:10:33,393
A means to do it,

2757
01:10:33,393 --> 01:10:35,024
to, to change the, the,

2758
01:10:35,024 --> 01:10:36,393
the funding because you're you're

2759
01:10:36,393 --> 01:10:37,834
100% right. Nobody wants to vote

2760
01:10:37,834 --> 01:10:39,434
more property tax, especially

2761
01:10:39,434 --> 01:10:40,913
like in Bryan County, over 60%

2762
01:10:40,913 --> 01:10:41,753
of all the property is

2763
01:10:41,753 --> 01:10:44,253
rental.

2764
01:10:44,253 --> 01:10:45,573
And so you only have

2765
01:10:45,573 --> 01:10:46,893
40% of the people

2766
01:10:46,893 --> 01:10:48,254
paying

2767
01:10:48,254 --> 01:10:50,174
for the ambulance service

2768
01:10:50,174 --> 01:10:51,683
and probably the 60% are the

2769
01:10:51,683 --> 01:10:52,403
ones calling the

2770
01:10:52,403 --> 01:10:56,314
ambulance.

2771
01:10:56,314 --> 01:10:57,424
>> Go ahead. I'm

2772
01:10:57,424 --> 01:10:59,074
good.

2773
01:10:59,074 --> 01:11:00,723
Thank y'all. Uh, any other

2774
01:11:00,723 --> 01:11:03,274
questions?

2775
01:11:03,274 --> 01:11:04,723
>> I just, please just to that, um,

2776
01:11:04,723 --> 01:11:06,363
and the other thing that's a little scary

2777
01:11:06,363 --> 01:11:08,193
at the moment is just all the

2778
01:11:08,193 --> 01:11:09,844
conversations and the political

2779
01:11:09,844 --> 01:11:11,363
environment of removing property

2780
01:11:11,363 --> 01:11:12,803
taxes definitely

2781
01:11:12,803 --> 01:11:14,803
has us, you know,

2782
01:11:14,803 --> 01:11:16,284
saying, hey, what are we gonna

2783
01:11:16,284 --> 01:11:17,964
do if that happens? So

2784
01:11:17,964 --> 01:11:19,443
just something else to kind of keep

2785
01:11:19,443 --> 01:11:20,964
in mind and I know some of it

2786
01:11:20,964 --> 01:11:22,244
has been, oh, we'll just do it

2787
01:11:22,244 --> 01:11:23,844
to, you know, seniors

2788
01:11:23,844 --> 01:11:25,403
or what, but any front

2789
01:11:25,403 --> 01:11:27,134
cut to that.

2790
01:11:27,134 --> 01:11:28,733
revenue stream you can

2791
01:11:28,733 --> 01:11:30,683
see is would be

2792
01:11:30,683 --> 01:11:31,613
drastic,

2793
01:11:31,613 --> 01:11:33,083
so. Something

2794
01:11:33,083 --> 01:11:34,083
to keep in mind moving

2795
01:11:34,083 --> 01:11:36,193
forward.

2796
01:11:36,193 --> 01:11:38,284
>> Uh bobby,

2797
01:11:38,284 --> 01:11:39,793
you hadn't, I mean,

2798
01:11:39,793 --> 01:11:40,113
brother,

2799
01:11:40,113 --> 01:11:42,824
brothers,

2800
01:11:42,824 --> 01:11:44,144
oh, I know. I mean, like I said,

2801
01:11:44,144 --> 01:11:45,674
but still this is, this

2802
01:11:45,674 --> 01:11:46,233
is, you

2803
01:11:46,233 --> 01:11:50,954
hit

2804
01:11:50,954 --> 01:11:51,594
but, but

2805
01:11:51,594 --> 01:11:55,073
no,

2806
01:11:55,073 --> 01:11:56,433
from, from my point

2807
01:11:56,433 --> 01:11:57,954
of interest, but like I said,

2808
01:11:57,954 --> 01:11:59,394
this is just that's what I

2809
01:11:59,394 --> 01:12:00,754
love about you know studies

2810
01:12:00,754 --> 01:12:02,194
and I want to thank

2811
01:12:02,194 --> 01:12:03,513
our audience too, but

2812
01:12:03,513 --> 01:12:04,954
still you have any

2813
01:12:04,954 --> 01:12:07,064
closing.

2814
01:12:07,064 --> 01:12:08,554
Oh, no, no,

2815
01:12:08,554 --> 01:12:10,103
I'm good, happy to

2816
01:12:10,103 --> 01:12:11,534
answer any questions or back over

2817
01:12:11,534 --> 01:12:13,194
to Representsky

2818
01:12:13,194 --> 01:12:15,513
just, uh,

2819
01:12:15,513 --> 01:12:17,194
close it out and like I said,

2820
01:12:17,194 --> 01:12:18,713
guys, this, this is

2821
01:12:18,713 --> 01:12:20,273
great information. Like I said, it's

2822
01:12:20,273 --> 01:12:21,873
just, I've been texting

2823
01:12:21,873 --> 01:12:23,433
my EMS

2824
01:12:23,433 --> 01:12:24,954
guy. I mean, Brian

2825
01:12:24,954 --> 01:12:26,504
knows him very well and like I said, he's a

2826
01:12:26,504 --> 01:12:27,873
dear friend of mine and just we

2827
01:12:27,873 --> 01:12:28,993
have. I mean,

2828
01:12:28,993 --> 01:12:30,633
just get out and

2829
01:12:30,633 --> 01:12:32,034
talk to the people and

2830
01:12:32,034 --> 01:12:33,513
see and I'm

2831
01:12:33,513 --> 01:12:35,073
only share one other story

2832
01:12:35,073 --> 01:12:35,534
about my

2833
01:12:35,534 --> 01:12:37,713
EMS.

2834
01:12:37,713 --> 01:12:38,844
In Oklahoma every now and then we

2835
01:12:38,844 --> 01:12:40,424
have

2836
01:12:40,424 --> 01:12:41,633
Roadblocks

2837
01:12:41,633 --> 01:12:43,394
traffic.

2838
01:12:43,394 --> 01:12:44,993
A train

2839
01:12:44,993 --> 01:12:45,834
going to our paper

2840
01:12:45,834 --> 01:12:47,554
mill.

2841
01:12:47,554 --> 01:12:49,073
buddy of mine had a heart

2842
01:12:49,073 --> 01:12:50,554
attack.

2843
01:12:50,554 --> 01:12:51,793
My EMS

2844
01:12:51,793 --> 01:12:53,394
ambulance sitting

2845
01:12:53,394 --> 01:12:55,034
trying to get across that train track

2846
01:12:55,034 --> 01:12:56,474
so long the driver had to

2847
01:12:56,474 --> 01:12:58,123
get out or he got out

2848
01:12:58,123 --> 01:12:59,534
and helped the medics in

2849
01:12:59,534 --> 01:13:00,594
the back give

2850
01:13:00,594 --> 01:13:03,483
CPR.

2851
01:13:03,483 --> 01:13:05,123
I can say my dear friend didn't

2852
01:13:05,123 --> 01:13:06,543
make it. I don't only

2853
01:13:06,543 --> 01:13:08,004
good lord knows if but

2854
01:13:08,004 --> 01:13:09,483
still that's still some

2855
01:13:09,483 --> 01:13:10,993
of the battles we have in

2856
01:13:10,993 --> 01:13:12,323
rural Oklahoma

2857
01:13:12,323 --> 01:13:13,213
because

2858
01:13:13,213 --> 01:13:15,114
you

2859
01:13:15,114 --> 01:13:16,554
And that's that's

2860
01:13:16,554 --> 01:13:18,034
another so it, but anyhow, thank

2861
01:13:18,034 --> 01:13:19,814
you.

2862
01:13:19,814 --> 01:13:21,144
>> Well, thank you again,

2863
01:13:21,144 --> 01:13:22,254
Chairman Dempsey

2864
01:13:22,254 --> 01:13:23,894
for allowing

2865
01:13:23,894 --> 01:13:24,933
us the opportunity

2866
01:13:24,933 --> 01:13:26,793
here

2867
01:13:26,793 --> 01:13:28,034
And the conversation

2868
01:13:28,034 --> 01:13:29,504
that that we've had

2869
01:13:29,504 --> 01:13:31,353
Bobby talking about this,

2870
01:13:31,353 --> 01:13:32,754
uh it's obvious there are

2871
01:13:32,754 --> 01:13:34,073
no easy

2872
01:13:34,073 --> 01:13:35,834
solutions.

2873
01:13:35,834 --> 01:13:37,594
I think there are some adjustments

2874
01:13:37,594 --> 01:13:39,153
to be made in

2875
01:13:39,153 --> 01:13:40,383
in some of my

2876
01:13:40,383 --> 01:13:41,554
counties that the

2877
01:13:41,554 --> 01:13:42,914
map showed

2878
01:13:42,914 --> 01:13:44,433
obviously multiple

2879
01:13:44,433 --> 01:13:45,993
districts, uh,

2880
01:13:45,993 --> 01:13:47,793
multiple funding there

2881
01:13:47,793 --> 01:13:49,183
the the challenges of

2882
01:13:49,183 --> 01:13:50,674
of even that, you know,

2883
01:13:50,674 --> 01:13:52,233
consolidation

2884
01:13:52,233 --> 01:13:53,633
may need to be

2885
01:13:53,633 --> 01:13:55,394
done where it makes sense,

2886
01:13:55,394 --> 01:13:57,013
but. When

2887
01:13:57,013 --> 01:13:58,644
you, when you make

2888
01:13:58,644 --> 01:14:00,044
changes in what

2889
01:14:00,044 --> 01:14:01,574
has been voted on,

2890
01:14:01,574 --> 01:14:03,053
you know, before, when you're talking

2891
01:14:03,053 --> 01:14:04,203
a particular school

2892
01:14:04,203 --> 01:14:05,493
district that

2893
01:14:05,493 --> 01:14:07,213
may encompass

2894
01:14:07,213 --> 01:14:08,854
some folks from

2895
01:14:08,854 --> 01:14:09,694
two or three

2896
01:14:09,694 --> 01:14:11,173
counties, you

2897
01:14:11,173 --> 01:14:12,574
know, the opportunity to

2898
01:14:12,574 --> 01:14:14,134
bring money

2899
01:14:14,134 --> 01:14:15,803
into your county from

2900
01:14:15,803 --> 01:14:17,014
a neighbour,

2901
01:14:17,014 --> 01:14:18,493
uh.

2902
01:14:18,493 --> 01:14:20,153
Go away if you

2903
01:14:20,153 --> 01:14:21,594
dissolve those

2904
01:14:21,594 --> 01:14:23,373
and go back to a countywide

2905
01:14:23,373 --> 01:14:24,493
system. The

2906
01:14:24,493 --> 01:14:26,014
cumulative total would

2907
01:14:26,014 --> 01:14:27,534
be less than what

2908
01:14:27,534 --> 01:14:28,534
we're doing today,

2909
01:14:28,534 --> 01:14:30,264
so

2910
01:14:30,264 --> 01:14:31,743
I'm open to ideas

2911
01:14:31,743 --> 01:14:33,264
and suggestions and

2912
01:14:33,264 --> 01:14:34,553
those of you in the room

2913
01:14:34,553 --> 01:14:36,664
that that

2914
01:14:36,664 --> 01:14:37,944
have a stake in this as

2915
01:14:37,944 --> 01:14:39,463
well. if

2916
01:14:39,463 --> 01:14:40,664
we have

2917
01:14:40,664 --> 01:14:43,134
ideas.

2918
01:14:43,134 --> 01:14:44,604
The treatment in place

2919
01:14:44,604 --> 01:14:45,683
is an

2920
01:14:45,683 --> 01:14:47,023
option. we're

2921
01:14:47,023 --> 01:14:48,534
certainly open

2922
01:14:48,534 --> 01:14:50,183
to to doing whatever

2923
01:14:50,183 --> 01:14:51,224
you guys think will

2924
01:14:51,224 --> 01:14:52,623
help and

2925
01:14:52,623 --> 01:14:54,143
I was

2926
01:14:54,143 --> 01:14:55,583
hopeful that

2927
01:14:55,583 --> 01:14:57,264
we might have more

2928
01:14:57,264 --> 01:14:58,703
ideas and and and that

2929
01:14:58,703 --> 01:15:00,224
my ignorance was going to

2930
01:15:00,224 --> 01:15:01,664
be illustrated in

2931
01:15:01,664 --> 01:15:03,143
here that why haven't we

2932
01:15:03,143 --> 01:15:04,824
done this yet, but

2933
01:15:04,824 --> 01:15:06,243
it's not it's not easy

2934
01:15:06,243 --> 01:15:07,623
obviously but we do need

2935
01:15:07,623 --> 01:15:09,234
to keep up

2936
01:15:09,234 --> 01:15:10,893
the work and try and.

2937
01:15:10,893 --> 01:15:12,333
Communicate. Yes, Bobby, >> we

2938
01:15:12,333 --> 01:15:13,873
will provide some, some, some

2939
01:15:13,873 --> 01:15:15,493
thoughts to you guys on that.

2940
01:15:15,493 --> 01:15:17,053
we're still fleshing them out, but we know we

2941
01:15:17,053 --> 01:15:18,534
have some other state options that we

2942
01:15:18,534 --> 01:15:20,053
want to look at. But we've got a

2943
01:15:20,053 --> 01:15:21,694
little bit of time, so we'll definitely present

2944
01:15:21,694 --> 01:15:23,164
that to the committee so that

2945
01:15:23,164 --> 01:15:24,523
you can chew on them and we can craft

2946
01:15:24,523 --> 01:15:26,094
something with an Oklahoma flair to it.

2947
01:15:26,094 --> 01:15:27,653
But we, we will be bringing you

2948
01:15:27,653 --> 01:15:29,333
>> some stuff. Well, I would

2949
01:15:29,333 --> 01:15:31,014
appreciate that. I'm sure the other members

2950
01:15:31,014 --> 01:15:32,453
would as well, and thank you

2951
01:15:32,453 --> 01:15:33,854
guys for, for being here

2952
01:15:33,854 --> 01:15:35,453
as well. And, and,

2953
01:15:35,453 --> 01:15:36,814
uh, we'll continue

2954
01:15:36,814 --> 01:15:37,953
the conversation, Mr.

2955
01:15:37,953 --> 01:15:39,243
Chairman. >> Hey

2956
01:15:39,243 --> 01:15:40,734
Eddie, can I say something?

2957
01:15:40,734 --> 01:15:42,213
Go ahead. Um, I was

2958
01:15:42,213 --> 01:15:43,703
gonna kind of clarify. I know there

2959
01:15:43,703 --> 01:15:45,173
was a question about districts and

2960
01:15:45,173 --> 01:15:46,653
multiple districts inside

2961
01:15:46,653 --> 01:15:48,123
of a county.

2962
01:15:48,123 --> 01:15:49,653
Um, if they've passed the

2963
01:15:49,653 --> 01:15:51,583
522.

2964
01:15:51,583 --> 01:15:53,104
District if they've passed if the

2965
01:15:53,104 --> 01:15:54,884
people pass that.

2966
01:15:54,884 --> 01:15:56,373
Typically what happens,

2967
01:15:56,373 --> 01:15:57,613
and there may be

2968
01:15:57,613 --> 01:15:59,053
variations to this, but

2969
01:15:59,053 --> 01:16:00,373
typically what happens is the county

2970
01:16:00,373 --> 01:16:01,944
commissioners will establish the board

2971
01:16:01,944 --> 01:16:03,613
just like what she was saying.

2972
01:16:03,613 --> 01:16:04,893
And then that board

2973
01:16:04,893 --> 01:16:06,423
will, there's a lot of

2974
01:16:06,423 --> 01:16:07,914
places and a lot of counties that

2975
01:16:07,914 --> 01:16:09,474
didn't have EMS

2976
01:16:09,474 --> 01:16:10,613
but like a city might

2977
01:16:10,613 --> 01:16:12,123
have funded the

2978
01:16:12,123 --> 01:16:14,053
bills and stuff like that.

2979
01:16:14,053 --> 01:16:15,504
And so they did vote like

2980
01:16:15,504 --> 01:16:17,333
a bond of the 522

2981
01:16:17,333 --> 01:16:18,974
district in, and then the,

2982
01:16:18,974 --> 01:16:20,053
the 522

2983
01:16:20,053 --> 01:16:21,854
district board

2984
01:16:21,854 --> 01:16:23,373
then contracted to

2985
01:16:23,373 --> 01:16:25,023
those cities.

2986
01:16:25,023 --> 01:16:26,623
Because the, the, the constitution

2987
01:16:26,623 --> 01:16:28,373
allows that, that the 522

2988
01:16:28,373 --> 01:16:29,474
district can

2989
01:16:29,474 --> 01:16:31,023
contract. So

2990
01:16:31,023 --> 01:16:32,583
in a lot of places you have,

2991
01:16:32,583 --> 01:16:34,173
um, different counties that

2992
01:16:34,173 --> 01:16:35,703
have contracted

2993
01:16:35,703 --> 01:16:37,284
to certain cities that may have

2994
01:16:37,284 --> 01:16:38,683
already started running EMS

2995
01:16:38,683 --> 01:16:40,183
and kind of gives them a subsidy

2996
01:16:40,183 --> 01:16:41,664
out of that 520, that out

2997
01:16:41,664 --> 01:16:43,094
of that millage. So

2998
01:16:43,094 --> 01:16:44,303
that's sometimes how you

2999
01:16:44,303 --> 01:16:46,064
get multiple

3000
01:16:46,064 --> 01:16:47,183
agencies all over the

3001
01:16:47,183 --> 01:16:48,863
place, um,

3002
01:16:48,863 --> 01:16:50,303
and, and so on. And

3003
01:16:50,303 --> 01:16:51,974
then, um.

3004
01:16:51,974 --> 01:16:53,453
You were talking about solutions

3005
01:16:53,453 --> 01:16:54,933
and things like that and then

3006
01:16:54,933 --> 01:16:56,493
want to deal. And I know last year we

3007
01:16:56,493 --> 01:16:58,014
passed a bill,

3008
01:16:58,014 --> 01:16:59,414
uh, Senate Bill

3009
01:16:59,414 --> 01:17:00,613
240 or

3010
01:17:00,613 --> 01:17:02,213
405 something

3011
01:17:02,213 --> 01:17:03,694
anyway, Senate bill,

3012
01:17:03,694 --> 01:17:05,053
and it got signed and it made

3013
01:17:05,053 --> 01:17:07,164
EMS essential

3014
01:17:07,164 --> 01:17:08,414
for the purposes of

3015
01:17:08,414 --> 01:17:08,963
federal

3016
01:17:08,963 --> 01:17:11,324
funding.

3017
01:17:11,324 --> 01:17:13,044
That's it.

3018
01:17:13,044 --> 01:17:14,784
We're not essential.

3019
01:17:14,784 --> 01:17:16,724
We're in the state of Oklahoma,

3020
01:17:16,724 --> 01:17:18,273
there's only, we're

3021
01:17:18,273 --> 01:17:19,564
one of, I think

3022
01:17:19,564 --> 01:17:20,963
17 states that has some

3023
01:17:20,963 --> 01:17:22,764
variation of calling EMS

3024
01:17:22,764 --> 01:17:24,044
essential,

3025
01:17:24,044 --> 01:17:24,764
but

3026
01:17:24,764 --> 01:17:26,764
there's

3027
01:17:26,764 --> 01:17:28,164
Less than 5

3028
01:17:28,164 --> 01:17:29,544
states that

3029
01:17:29,544 --> 01:17:31,004
consider EMS an essential

3030
01:17:31,004 --> 01:17:32,164
service. And remember we're talking

3031
01:17:32,164 --> 01:17:33,844
about fire is considered

3032
01:17:33,844 --> 01:17:35,004
essential, you can't do without

3033
01:17:35,004 --> 01:17:36,433
it. Police

3034
01:17:36,433 --> 01:17:37,784
is essential. you can't do without

3035
01:17:37,784 --> 01:17:39,373
it. Both of them are mentioned

3036
01:17:39,373 --> 01:17:41,254
in the constitution, like

3037
01:17:41,254 --> 01:17:42,854
way back that you will have a police chief

3038
01:17:42,854 --> 01:17:44,294
or a volunteer fire department,

3039
01:17:44,294 --> 01:17:45,294
you will have a

3040
01:17:45,294 --> 01:17:46,794
sheriff. E

3041
01:17:46,794 --> 01:17:48,433
ems is only mentioned in Article

3042
01:17:48,433 --> 01:17:49,433
X as a funding

3043
01:17:49,433 --> 01:17:51,363
stream.

3044
01:17:51,363 --> 01:17:53,053
But we're not

3045
01:17:53,053 --> 01:17:55,053
essential. House Bill 1887

3046
01:17:55,053 --> 01:17:56,534
was passed several years back

3047
01:17:56,534 --> 01:17:58,134
that says county commissioners will have a

3048
01:17:58,134 --> 01:17:59,384
plan for

3049
01:17:59,384 --> 01:18:01,034
EMS. That

3050
01:18:01,034 --> 01:18:02,574
plan could be called

3051
01:18:02,574 --> 01:18:04,694
the next county.

3052
01:18:04,694 --> 01:18:06,203
It doesn't say you will have an

3053
01:18:06,203 --> 01:18:07,724
ambulance. It doesn't say you will

3054
01:18:07,724 --> 01:18:09,213
fund an ambulance. It doesn't say you

3055
01:18:09,213 --> 01:18:10,923
will do anything.

3056
01:18:10,923 --> 01:18:12,643
So

3057
01:18:12,643 --> 01:18:14,044
A real big push for

3058
01:18:14,044 --> 01:18:15,523
us would be

3059
01:18:15,523 --> 01:18:16,963
to be considered essential.

3060
01:18:16,963 --> 01:18:18,643
During COVID,

3061
01:18:18,643 --> 01:18:20,164
we were on the 6th

3062
01:18:20,164 --> 01:18:21,484
tier to get the

3063
01:18:21,484 --> 01:18:23,044
COVID shot if

3064
01:18:23,044 --> 01:18:25,583
you wanted it.

3065
01:18:25,583 --> 01:18:27,224
Record drivers were

3066
01:18:27,224 --> 01:18:28,994
on the first tier.

3067
01:18:28,994 --> 01:18:30,474
And we were on 6th. We

3068
01:18:30,474 --> 01:18:31,813
were in the bedrooms

3069
01:18:31,813 --> 01:18:33,794
wading through snot rags,

3070
01:18:33,794 --> 01:18:35,193
wading through sweats

3071
01:18:35,193 --> 01:18:36,633
and getting in your sweaty bed

3072
01:18:36,633 --> 01:18:38,073
and picking you up and putting you in

3073
01:18:38,073 --> 01:18:39,664
a, 20

3074
01:18:39,664 --> 01:18:41,104
ft square foot

3075
01:18:41,104 --> 01:18:42,463
box and breathing your

3076
01:18:42,463 --> 01:18:44,224
air and doing

3077
01:18:44,224 --> 01:18:45,583
everything with you and we

3078
01:18:45,583 --> 01:18:47,104
were not even considered

3079
01:18:47,104 --> 01:18:49,234
essential.

3080
01:18:49,234 --> 01:18:50,794
So if there's

3081
01:18:50,794 --> 01:18:52,193
one solution, that would be

3082
01:18:52,193 --> 01:18:53,114
to make us

3083
01:18:53,114 --> 01:18:54,994
100%

3084
01:18:54,994 --> 01:18:56,563
>> but the Senate bill last year did

3085
01:18:56,563 --> 01:18:57,713
not change that.

3086
01:18:57,713 --> 01:18:59,034
>> It only made

3087
01:18:59,034 --> 01:19:00,323
us essential for the

3088
01:19:00,323 --> 01:19:01,664
purposes of federal

3089
01:19:01,664 --> 01:19:03,874
funding.

3090
01:19:03,874 --> 01:19:04,753
>> I have one other

3091
01:19:04,753 --> 01:19:06,114
question.

3092
01:19:06,114 --> 01:19:07,594
>> Uh, going back to

3093
01:19:07,594 --> 01:19:09,073
the Senate bill, Senator Woods ran

3094
01:19:09,073 --> 01:19:10,713
that, uh, on

3095
01:19:10,713 --> 01:19:12,244
our side did it. And

3096
01:19:12,244 --> 01:19:13,643
that was a request

3097
01:19:13,643 --> 01:19:15,083
from our EMS director

3098
01:19:15,083 --> 01:19:16,893
Diane Yell, uh,

3099
01:19:16,893 --> 01:19:18,403
so that they could help get grants. The

3100
01:19:18,403 --> 01:19:19,883
only thing I didn't like about that bill

3101
01:19:19,883 --> 01:19:21,333
was it also threw

3102
01:19:21,333 --> 01:19:22,164
in private

3103
01:19:22,164 --> 01:19:24,344
ambulance.

3104
01:19:24,344 --> 01:19:25,804
You can get that. So

3105
01:19:25,804 --> 01:19:27,003
in our area we have

3106
01:19:27,003 --> 01:19:28,403
Patford, who

3107
01:19:28,403 --> 01:19:29,883
they do serve the area and you pay

3108
01:19:29,883 --> 01:19:31,513
them, but Patford's out of Hope,

3109
01:19:31,513 --> 01:19:32,963
Arkansas.

3110
01:19:32,963 --> 01:19:34,523
That's, that's where their main office is

3111
01:19:34,523 --> 01:19:36,003
at. So anyway, I just wanted to

3112
01:19:36,003 --> 01:19:37,523
throw that in. Yeah, >> and we,

3113
01:19:37,523 --> 01:19:39,044
we supported the bill because we just

3114
01:19:39,044 --> 01:19:40,643
felt like it got our

3115
01:19:40,643 --> 01:19:42,244
foot in the door as at least

3116
01:19:42,244 --> 01:19:43,724
essential, you know, we,

3117
01:19:43,724 --> 01:19:45,203
so now we have another argument to come

3118
01:19:45,203 --> 01:19:46,763
back and we would argue

3119
01:19:46,763 --> 01:19:47,763
with Eddie, but he's leaving

3120
01:19:47,763 --> 01:19:50,513
us,

3121
01:19:50,513 --> 01:19:51,914
so.

3122
01:19:51,914 --> 01:19:53,974
>> I

3123
01:19:53,974 --> 01:19:55,534
I appreciate your your

3124
01:19:55,534 --> 01:19:57,333
comment there, Representative,

3125
01:19:57,333 --> 01:19:59,133
and

3126
01:19:59,133 --> 01:20:00,724
That is something we didn't

3127
01:20:00,724 --> 01:20:02,443
get into here much

3128
01:20:02,443 --> 01:20:04,244
this morning.

3129
01:20:04,244 --> 01:20:06,323
Many communities

3130
01:20:06,323 --> 01:20:08,203
feel like they cannot

3131
01:20:08,203 --> 01:20:09,763
keep up if it was time to

3132
01:20:09,763 --> 01:20:11,083
buy a new ambulance and they

3133
01:20:11,083 --> 01:20:12,604
didn't do it, and

3134
01:20:12,604 --> 01:20:14,263
many have made the decision

3135
01:20:14,263 --> 01:20:15,643
from

3136
01:20:15,643 --> 01:20:17,124
from supporting it publicly

3137
01:20:17,124 --> 01:20:19,044
to a private

3138
01:20:19,044 --> 01:20:20,684
provider and

3139
01:20:20,684 --> 01:20:21,844
then

3140
01:20:21,844 --> 01:20:23,323
what equipment

3141
01:20:23,323 --> 01:20:25,083
is

3142
01:20:25,083 --> 01:20:26,203
Available at that

3143
01:20:26,203 --> 01:20:28,234
time, uh,

3144
01:20:28,234 --> 01:20:29,804
isn't anymore. And, and

3145
01:20:29,804 --> 01:20:31,203
then you go down that

3146
01:20:31,203 --> 01:20:32,753
road and There

3147
01:20:32,753 --> 01:20:34,434
may not be a way back

3148
01:20:34,434 --> 01:20:35,914
at some point in time, so

3149
01:20:35,914 --> 01:20:38,513
I don't want to

3150
01:20:38,513 --> 01:20:39,903
Stir up that conversation

3151
01:20:39,903 --> 01:20:41,424
again, but it is, it is

3152
01:20:41,424 --> 01:20:42,224
part of the,

3153
01:20:42,224 --> 01:20:43,784
uh,

3154
01:20:43,784 --> 01:20:44,943
process, obviously and,

3155
01:20:44,943 --> 01:20:46,383
and again,

3156
01:20:46,383 --> 01:20:48,383
thank you all and

3157
01:20:48,383 --> 01:20:48,864
appreciate your

3158
01:20:48,864 --> 01:20:52,164
input.

3159
01:20:52,164 --> 01:20:53,724
>> Thank y'all everything. Like I

3160
01:20:53,724 --> 01:20:55,244
said, great comments, great

3161
01:20:55,244 --> 01:20:56,604
questions, uh and

3162
01:20:56,604 --> 01:20:57,804
uh and

3163
01:20:57,804 --> 01:21:00,414
we

3164
01:21:00,414 --> 01:21:01,893
like to visit with us we'll be

3165
01:21:01,893 --> 01:21:04,203
around and

3166
01:21:04,203 --> 01:21:05,614
Until about noon that I'm

3167
01:21:05,614 --> 01:21:07,013
going to God's country.

3168
01:21:07,013 --> 01:21:08,414
So, so,

3169
01:21:08,414 --> 01:21:09,854
but thank y'all very, very

3170
01:21:09,854 --> 01:21:11,253
much and thank y'all for

3171
01:21:11,253 --> 01:21:12,653
participating in it's

3172
01:21:12,653 --> 01:21:14,633
great information day. Thank y'all. adjourned.