On Thursday night, the Sparks Fire Department held an informative meeting regarding a proposed emergency first responder fee.

On Thursday night, the Sparks Fire Department held an informative meeting regarding a proposed emergency first responder fee. 

The fee, which as of now is just a proposed ordinance to the City of Sparks, was recommended by third-party analysis to be $527 when providing emergency medical services. 

The fee would help recover costs associated with staffing, training, equipment, and supplies required to provide pre-transport and pre-hospital care.

Sparks Fire Department Fire Chief Walter White touched on how the fees would be implemented. 

"We are proposing two things. One, a no-balanced billing clause on Sparks residents. So, there would be no out-of-pocket expenses. We have to bill everyone the same, but we also adopt a compassionate billing clause for those who may be uninsured or on Medicaid or Medicare. Those would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis," said White.

The funds would allow the department to sustain things like equipment, staff, training, and fuel. And continue providing care to the community. 

"We are pursuing the cost recovery efforts and looking for those organizational efficiencies that are going to enable us to continue to provide the highest-level care possible," said White.

Since the fee is only a proposed ordinance to the City of Sparks, the City Council would need to move forward with implementing it.