PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- The Hughes County Commission and Fort Pierre City Council have approves resolutions of intent to form the Central South Dakota Ambulance District.  Fort Pierre Adlerman Scott Deal serves on the current ambulance board and emergency medical care leave Hughes and Stanley County without it.

The goal is to put the District on the ballot this fall to let residents of Hughes and Stanley County decide if they want ambulance service.  Mayor Gloria Hanson says supporting ambulance service in its current form will cost the city significantly more next year.

Service from AMR Ambulance to serve Hughes and Stanley County is 415-thousand dollars.  State law allows for an ambulance district to only fund for costs and no profit.  As for the cost, the levy for a home with a valuation of 250-thousand dollars would be around 60-dollars per year to fund the District.  Deal says it’s a small price to pay to save a live.

Deal says much of the cost increases are because of a paramedic shortage.

Pierre followed Fort Pierre, Hughes County and Blunt Tuesday night in approving a resolution of intent to form the Central South Dakota Ambulance District.  Public Safety Commissioner Vona Johnson says the five-year contract Pierre and other local governing bodies has with A-M-R Ambulance is coming to an end.

Johnson says there are several ambulance districts across the state.

Johnson says central South Dakota and the Pierre region is a difficult area to provide ambulance service.

Stanley County considered a similar resolution Tuesday night.  Harrold will consider the resolution next week.  A public meeting on the proposed ambulance district will be held Wednesday August 17 at 5:30  pm at the River Cities Transit community room in Pierre.