Milford board will mull BLS transport at 7:30 meeting

The Milford Township Board of Trustees will look to discuss redrafting and resubmitting a request for proposals to three area ambulance companies at its meeting scheduled for tonight, Wednesday, Aug. 17.

“We just didn’t do everything we needed the first time,” said Township Supervisor Don Green. “Hopefully we’ll get it right this time.”

The township is considering the ambulance services of Community EMS, Star EMS, and Huron Valley Ambulance (HVA), according to Green.

The board approved a plan in January to have Milford’s firefighters resume basic life support (BLS) transport for less-than-seriously injured patients after the program had been temporarily halted.

HVA is based in Ann Arbor and has a Milford branch, where its workers respond to the same emergencies as Milford’s firefighters. It offers both BLS and advanced life support (ALS) care and transport.

HVA previously gave indications that it would pull its services out of Milford if the firefighters took over BLS transport services because HVA was operating at a loss.

Township Treasurer Cynthia Dagenhardt has previously said that Community EMS, based in Southfield, has indicated that it is willing to locate a truck in Milford should HVA depart.

Star EMS is based in Pontiac.

Green has argued against firefighters providing BLS transport, saying that it conflicts with township policy and amounts to the township competing with the private sector.