Fire department wants fee for helping people off floors
Posted By: Channel 8 Eyewitness News
8@klkntv.com
OMAHA, Neb. (AP)
The Omaha Fire Department wants the city to charge a fee for helping pick up people who’ve fallen.
The department says it happens up to 350 times a year: An assisted living facility or a nursing home calls 911, asking the department to help a resident who’s fallen from a chair or bed onto a floor. It’s not a medical emergency call. Just a call for assistance.
But the department says each call costs the city at least $1,000 and leads to longer response times for higher priority calls.
The department has asked the City Council to approve a $400 fee for the non-emergency calls. The council is scheduled to take a final vote on the proposal Tuesday.
