Baker County citizens. What is wrong with our people? We all need to wake up to this nonsense going on at the city and county level over ambulance service. Our ambulance service area is facing not having service in the near future unless city/county officials start working hand in hand and come up with a working plan and a solution. From watching the City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, it appears that the city manager is willing to get rid of our ambulance service. His comments lead me to believe that he is willing to cut the medic/fire personnel down in order to save money.

In listening to medical service calls on my scanner, with the current level of personnel available, the fire department is consistently calling for cover to support multiple ambulance and fire calls. This is with them being staffed with three personnel and backup per shift.

We, the citizens, deserve much better than this. The employees deserve much better than this. They deserve to know that when they are working, they have the backup that they can count on. Their families deserve to know that their loved ones are going to have all safety measures being taking care of.

As I well know, at any given time one can find themselves in need of an ambulance with extremely well qualified trained personal a phone call away. I probably wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the excellent care I received from the first responders.

Please Baker City and Baker County people, contact your elected officials and voice your concern over this matter, your life may depend on it.

Roger Coles

Baker City