By Robin Widmar
In 2018, residents of the Falcon Fire Protection District voted to approve a mill levy increase from 8.612 mills to 14.886 mills. One purpose of that increase was to fund a new district-operated ambulance service. Two Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulances were initially purchased and went into service in December 2019, fulfilling the commitment made to residents during the mill levy campaign. A third ALS ambulance was added in March 2020.
In 2025, FFPD provided more than 1,800 patient transports.
Recently, a reader reached out to The New Falcon Herald expressing concerns that patients are still billed for ambulance transports following the mill levy increase and subsequent increase in property taxes. According to figures provided at FFPD board meetings, a patient pays about $650 out of pocket on average for an ambulance transport. This figure can vary depending on the patient’s insurance coverage. In an email to the NFH, FFPD EMS Division Chief Jonathan Webb wrote that FFPD’s transport rates “are comparable to those of other fire agencies in our region.”
Webb explained that the FFPD board had considered three funding options for its ambulance service. One was to rely on patient billing, which would have required “significantly higher transport fees,” increased the financial burden to patients and provided an unpredictable revenue stream to fund the ambulance service. Another option was to use only property tax revenue with no billing to patients. This method would have required another property tax increase to generate sufficient funds to sustain the ambulance service.
Ultimately, the FFPD board adopted a funding model that combines property tax revenue with patient billing. Webb wrote, “The Board selected this approach because it provides a balanced, sustainable way to fund the service without placing the entire financial burden on either taxpayers or patients.”
So what does it cost to operate an ALS ambulance service? Webb wrote that in 2025 the total cost to operate three full-time ALS ambulances was $2,963,874, or about $988,000 per ambulance. In 2026, that cost has increased to just over $1 million per ambulance.
However, the total revenue collected through patient billing in 2025 was $1,731,577, or about $577,000 per ambulance. “As a result, the cost of operating the three ambulances exceeded patient billing revenue by approximately $1.23 million,” Webb wrote. “This funding gap demonstrates why a combination of property tax support and patient billing is necessary to maintain a reliable ambulance transport system.”
Webb wrote, “Our goal is to be among the leading EMS agencies in the region.” Among the advancements in patient care that FFPD has implemented are Rapid Sequence Intubation protocols and the introduction of the UCHealth Mobile CT Scanner program for stroke patients. Later in 2026, FFPD ambulances will begin carrying whole blood to treat hemorrhagic shock. Webb stated in his email, “This capability will benefit not only our district but also eastern El Paso County by expanding access to this lifesaving treatment.”
To ensure that residents receive timely and quality ALS emergency care, FFPD has established automatic aid agreements with surrounding agencies. Webb wrote that these agreements help minimize “delays that can sometimes occur when relying solely on private ambulance services in the Colorado Springs area.”
