Letter: Clarifying the ambulance issue

To the editor,

In the Oct. 2 edition of the Farmington Independent a story entitled “Cities nearly ready to name new ambulance service” unfortunately led readers to a conclusion that decisions have been made to change ambulance service providers. Neither the ALF Executive Management Committee or Board of Directors has decided to change providers.

The ALF EMC and Board are in the process of analyzing alternatives to the current ambulance service methods so that ALF can ensure that residents and workers in the ALF area have the highest quality patient care available in the future at affordable costs.

Changes to how we provide ambulance service may be decided, but it is premature to determine the outcome. Our analysis of various options is continuing. While we have reviewed proposals from various possible contractual providers, we are continuing to look at ways to reorganize our existing organization.

The ALF service territory has enjoyed high quality patient care. We value the paramedics that serve ALF and we are working to make sure the paramedics will be able to continue to serve the ALF service area.

Apple Valley, Lakeville and Farmington are growing and changing communities. As such it is important that we make sure how we deliver these essential services are the best they can be.

Peter J. Herlofsky Jr.

Peter Herlofsky is Farmington’s city administrator and chair of the ALF executive committee

Editor’s note: We talked with Peter Herlofsky after receiving this letter and were told there was nothing factually wrong with the story we ran. We agreed to publish this letter to help the ALF board clarify what he said were misinterpretations of the story.

Tags: opinion, ambulance, service