When it comes to government affairs, it’s no secret that this newspaper’s attitude generally has been this: Less is more.

We particularly consistently oppose instances in which government sets out to compete with private industry. Unless it’s providing essential services, government shouldn’t be involved.

But an alarming decline in private ambulance companies, fewer EMTs and growing challenges in contracting with ambulance services in an increasing number of local communities should have all government officials sitting up and taking notice.

Government must get involved in either providing the services or in subsidizing the private entities. If ambulance response isn’t an essential service, we’re not sure what is.

Last week, the issue of ambulance service, brewing for quite some time, boiled to the forefront when Hubbard Mayor Ben Kyle told Trumbull County officials that Lane LifeTrans has announced Hubbard, Hubbard Township, Coitsville, Struthers and Campbell no longer will have ambulance service starting June 4.

Not long ago, Kyle noted that Lifefleet discontinued its services, leaving many of these communities without EMS. Lane stepped in temporarily, but is unable to sustain the service in the large geographical area.

When Lane ends its service, residents will be impacted immediately by the lack of medical response services or transport teams.

Kyle asked Trumbull County commissioners to work with Mahoning County commissioners to address the growing issue of not having sufficient emergency medical services available to parts of both counties.

Mahoning County communities, including Youngstown, have been struggling with similar problems exacerbated when private ambulance companies say they are left holding the bag on medical transport costs after insurers like Medicaid, Medicare or even private insurance companies fail to cover the full expenses.

In an effort to generate conversation, Kyle even questioned the possibility of increasing a local sales taxes. That option could provide funds to help subsidize private emergency responders or help start up joint government-run services.

But starting a government-run system is extremely costly, and it does not occur overnight.

In Mahoning County, for now, the Emergency Management Agency Director Andy Frost has been tasked to put together a meeting with those Mahoning communities that have concerns about ambulance services.

Good. That’s a start.

Government subsidies for private ambulance providers might help. So, too, might an examination of this very serious issue on the state and national levels, including the amount of funds that are allocated by government-run insurers like Medicaid and Medicare.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the answers, but we know it’s time to find them. Out-of-the-box solutions will be required, and “the way things have always been done” will no longer be a starting point.

Someone like Frost on the local government level must take ownership of this issue and take charge of researching it in pursuit of answers that might be working in neighboring communities or states. Frankly, that’s where we’d start.

If it’s decided that starting government-run ambulance service is the right answer, then the next challenges will be hiring, funding, equipping and managing the system — tasks that many private entities have struggled to do.

Public employers must be honest with themselves and make hard decisions as they look to be as responsible and efficient as possible with taxpayer dollars. It is possible, but requires creative thinking.

And to add to this growing concern, the challenges may not end with ambulance and EMT services. Some communities are reporting challenges in finding police officers and firefighters. They are seeing shrinking hiring pools, creating situations desperate enough in some Ohio communities that government officials are considering increasing age limits for transferring into police departments or reducing requirements like physical fitness requirements.

One thing is for certain. There is no time to be kicking the can down the road on these increasingly critical emergency services issues. We soon will be reaching the end of that road.

editorial@vindy.com

SCRIPTURE

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Proverbs 31:28 ESV